Sometimes it is easier to hear “notice your chest rising and falling right now” than “clear your mind.” Studies from the United States and Australia have found that meditation focused on bodily sensations can be a starting point for emotional recovery. A research team at Emory University School of Medicine reported in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology that adding gentle vibrations to the breastbone during meditation changed brain pathways linked to the ability to sense the body. A team at La Trobe University in Australia published a study in the journal Mindfulness showing that three weeks of self-compassion meditation—with no mention of appearance—changed participants’ attitudes toward their bodies.
Only the 60 of 116 participants who received chest vibrations showed stronger brain pathways linking bodily sensations
The Emory study included 116 adults with high levels of dissociation after experiencing trauma. Dissociation refers to feeling detached from one’s body or reality. Participants completed eight brief mindfulness meditation sessions, each lasting about 20 minutes. Sixty wore a small device near the breastbone during meditation. It delivered low-level vibrations either in sync with exhalation or at regular intervals. The other 56 practiced the same meditation without vibrations. The research team used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after meditation to compare the microstructure of white matter.
Only the group that received vibrations showed increased neurite density in the corticospinal tract, a neural pathway involved in processing sensory and bodily information. Body awareness also improved more in the vibration group than in the group that meditated without vibrations. Study lead Negar Fani, an associate professor of psychiatry, said in a university news release that the findings were the first to show that breastbone vibrations may induce neuroplasticity in brain pathways involved in sensing the body. The paper was first published online on May 16, and the U.S. psychology news outlet PsyPost revisited the study on October 23.
Dissociation eased in both groups; vibrations changed the ability to sense the body
One finding worth noting concerns dissociation symptoms. According to PsyPost, symptoms eased by a similar amount in both groups, suggesting meditation alone also made a difference. In the vibration group, people with greater increases in neurite density also showed greater reductions in feelings of disconnection from their bodies. No such association appeared in the group that meditated without vibrations.
Fani said that many people who have experienced trauma, particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have difficulty sensing signals from within their bodies. She cited the method’s low cost and noninvasive nature as advantages. The findings are an interim analysis from a clinical trial being conducted with the University of Pittsburgh. The team plans to follow participants for six months after treatment to see whether the changes last, and said more research is needed before the method could stand alone as a treatment. The biological mechanisms behind the brain changes remain speculative, and psychological changes were measured through participants’ self-reports.
Three weeks with no mention of appearance—and attitudes toward the body remained different six weeks later
A study by a research team led by Dr. Joshua Mamara at La Trobe University in Australia focused on how people relate to their bodies. The researchers randomly divided 227 adults ages 18 to 39 living in Australia into two groups. One hundred fourteen listened to three 20-minute guided self-compassion meditations over three weeks; the other 113 were placed on a waitlist and given access after the study ended. The meditations were based on the Mindful Self-Compassion program. According to mindbodygreen, they included body scans that invited participants to notice bodily sensations without judgment, breathing exercises and loving-kindness meditation encouraging a warm response to self-criticism. They contained no statements praising appearance or asking participants to judge their bodies.
After three weeks, the meditation group reported higher body appreciation, self-compassion and positive well-being, and lower body dissatisfaction. The changes persisted at a follow-up six weeks later. The waitlist group changed little. Participants who became kinder to themselves and more mindful had higher body appreciation, while reduced self-judgment was linked to lower body dissatisfaction. Mamara said in a university news release that the findings showed that simply encouraging people to treat themselves more kindly could improve how they feel about their bodies.
The researchers also found something they had not expected. Participants meditated anywhere from one to seven days a week, but those who practiced more often did not show greater changes. The team said further research is needed to examine the quality of practice and identify an appropriate frequency.
People with panic experiences were excluded from the study—a reason body-focused meditation may not work for everyone
The Australian study excluded people who had recently experienced an eating disorder or anxiety disorder, as well as those who had experienced panic attacks. mindbodygreen reported that focusing on bodily sensations can increase anxiety for some people. The waitlist group was given no activity, so the study could not separate out the effect of forming a new habit. The study also included few men and nonbinary participants and was not preregistered. Because participants were ages 18 to 39, it is not known whether the same results would apply to middle-aged and older adults.
The two studies involved different participants and methods, but point in the same direction: recovery may begin not by controlling thoughts, but by noticing what is happening in the body right now—the breath, the chest or sensations on the skin. In an age of nonstop information, when modern life keeps people in front of screens for much of the day, meditation that involves sitting still for a long time can feel like a high hurdle. Body-focused practices such as a body scan while lying down, placing a hand on the chest and noticing the breath, or walking meditation may offer an easier way in.
The right starting point is different for everyone. If focusing on bodily sensations makes anxiety worse, it may be better to try another approach first, such as walking meditation with eyes open or meditation focused on sounds. Those who have experienced trauma or panic may want to consult a professional before starting on their own. Meditation is not a substitute for treatment. But evidence is gradually building that practicing how to reconnect with the body can become a path to caring for the mind.
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