Meditation Is The Key To Living Longer
Written by Emily Tseng
Edited by Priya Ram
February 9th, 2023
Edited by Priya Ram
February 9th, 2023
Research
Humans have always obsessed over the notion of living longer. Technological advancements throughout history have drastically increased life expectancy by decades. For example, in the United States, life expectancy has nearly doubled in the last century due to the decline in premature deaths and infectious diseases. Scientists have primarily focused on proving that maintaining physical health, through measures like eating healthy and being physically active, can contribute to increased lifespan. However, a new field of research suggests that maintaining our mental health through mindfulness-based interventions could be the new key to living longer.
Telomere length is a well-known biomarker associated with aging. As we get older, these DNA complexes protecting the ends of our DNA from degradation get shorter, resulting in age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s. Several studies have linked meditation to longer telomere length, but the biological mechanism behind this association is not well studied. One research team, led by Dr. Maite Mendioroz, is committed to uncovering the details of this association. A previous study by Mendioroz and their team revealed that differentially methylated regions (DMRs) have been linked to common neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. DMRs are regions of DNA that have differing levels of methylation, a type of DNA modification, among multiple samples. Thus, Mendioroz and their team conducted a new study to investigate potential changes in DNA methylation in long-term mindfulness practitioners that could explain the differences in telomere length.
Researchers enrolled long-term mindfulness practitioners who had been practicing meditation for over 10 years. The control group consisted of healthy relatives to ensure that socio-demographic characteristics were similar between the two groups. Individuals in the control group had to be between the ages of 18 and 65, have no pre-existing psychiatric or medical disorders, and receive no pharmacological or psychological treatment. DNA was collected from both groups and compared to identify DMRs within telomeres. Mendioroz et al. found that of the DMRs they identified between the long-term mindfulness practitioners and the control group, two corresponding genes–GPR31 and SERPINB9–showed significant, age-adjusted correlations between telomere length and DNA methylation levels. These findings suggest that meditation is associated with differing DNA methylation levels at specific telomeric regions, which is linked to longer telomere length and thus longevity. Interestingly enough, Mendioroz et al. also discovered that while there was a strong inverse relationship between age and telomere length in the control group, there was no association between age and telomere length in the group of long-term mindfulness practitioners.
Mendioroz et al. propose a scientifically-proven new approach to increasing one’s lifespan. Although they stress that their study should only be considered exploratory, their findings bring researchers a step closer to understanding the biological mechanisms behind the association between meditation and telomere length. Regardless, it doesn’t hurt to pause and take the time to empty our minds for a bit. Who knows, it might even help us live longer.
Image Source: Image by Rene Rauschenberger licensed under Pixabay License