In this episode, I discuss the biological mechanisms of the state changes that occur during different types of meditation and describe how to develop the meditation practice optimal for you. I explain key meditation principles, such as using specific breathwork patterns and adjusting your perception to specific locations along the continuum between interoception, exteroception and dissociation. I discuss how meditation practices lead to long-term trait changes and neuroplasticity, including changing your default mood, reducing baseline anxiety/depression, increasing your ability to focus, enhancing relaxation, improving sleep, and increasing your overall happiness level. I also explain the concept behind the “third-eye center,” what mindfulness is from a biological standpoint, the power of ultra-brief meditations and how to select the best meditation and time and duration to meditate to meet your need. I also explain a novel open-eyed perception-based meditation that may enhance focus, relaxation and task-switching ability. Whether you are a novice or an experienced meditator or simply interested in how our brain controls different aspects of conscious awareness and self-regulation, this episode should interest you.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00 ) Meditation

(00:04:48 ) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:08:25 ) Brief History of Meditation: Consciousness, Psychedelics, fMRI

(00:16:19 ) How the Brain Interprets the Body & Surrounding Environment; Mindfulness

(00:26:07 ) Neuroscience of Meditation; Perceptual Spotlights

(00:31:58 ) Sponsor: AG1

(00:33:41 ) Interoception vs. Exteroception

(00:42:20 ) Default Mode Network, Continuum of Interoception & Exteroception

(00:53:30 ) Tools: Interoceptive or Exteroceptive Bias, Meditation Challenge

(01:01:48 ) State & Trait Changes, Interoceptive & Exteroceptive Meditations, Refocusing

(01:07:35 ) Tool: Brief Meditations, Waking Up App

(01:10:30 ) “Third Eye Center” & Wandering Thoughts

(01:20:46 ) Meditation: Practice Types, Focal Points & Consistency

(01:24:10 ) Breathwork: Cyclic Hyperventilation, Box Breathing & Interoception

(01:30:41 ) Tool: Meditation Breathwork, Cyclic vs. Complex Breathwork

(01:39:22 ) Interoception vs. Dissociation, Trauma

(01:47:43 ) Model of Interoception & Dissociation Continuum

(01:53:39 ) Meditation & Dissociation: Mood, Bias & Corresponding Challenge

(02:00:18 ) Meditation & Sleep: Yoga Nidra, Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)

(02:11:33 ) Choosing a Meditative Practice; Hypnosis

(02:14:53 ) Tool: Space-Time Bridging (STB)

(02:25:00 ) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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