How does mindfulness change how the brain responds to stressful events? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:05 — 1.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Stress arises in the brain, and mindfulness can rewire that pathway. That’s according to Neda Gould, a mindfulness expert at Johns Hopkins.

Gould: It translates to us being able to turn off the stress response more readily when we’re confronted with a real or perceived stressor. It also means that sometimes we don’t even turn on the stress response with regular mindfulness practice.  :15

Gould says the practice is unique.

Gould: You may or may not feel relaxed after a brief mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is different than relaxation. Our intention is to begin to bring awareness to our experience but not change it. in the long term though practicing mindfulness we do actually change our experience.  :20

At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.