In August 2009 Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Volume 1172 was released, containing within it 31 peer-reviewed articles which attempt to “study the impact of Indo-Tibetan practices on longevity and health.” If our brain cells are rewiring themselves based on our habits and thought patterns, suddenly our hobbies and pastimes are rocketed to the center stage of mental health. What you or I do in our free time is habitual and over time can optimize our brains for said activities while allowing other regions to decay. Yoga as a physical exercise has demonstrated incredible ability to affect mental health, including but not limited to focus and emotional regulation. The following papers contained within the volume are of particular interest:
- Longevity: potential life span and health span enhancement through practice of the basic yoga meditation regimen By Bushell WC
- Protection throughout the life span: the psychoneuroimmunologic impact of Indo-Tibetan meditative and yogic practices By Olivo EL
- Does meditation enhance cognition and brain plasticity? By Xiong GL, Doraiswamy PM
Petri Dish Talk 