Mathematics gives nightmares to many. Recent studies suggest that fear of Mathematics may trigger anxiety and boredom in students, which further hamper their academic results.
How to overcome the fear of maths?
The rising popularity of meditation to improve mental and physical health has inspired scientists across the globe to study its impact on the overall performance of regular practitioners. Researchers have found that meditation can increase the learning and problem-solving capacities of students, which can directly improve their performance in Mathematics!
Enhanced learning capacity
A study at the University of California showed that students who had practiced meditation for two weeks scored higher in their Graduate Result Examinations (GRE) than those who went for better nutrition programs!
In a study, Harvard neuroscientist Sara Lazar found that long-term meditators gained more gray matter in the regions of the brain that control senses, working memory and executive decision-making.
Meditation also stimulates brain areas like the hippocampus and the frontal lobes, which are centers for learning and memory.
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Increased capacity for focus and attention
Powerful breathing cum meditation techniques like Sudarshan Kriya stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps in reducing depression. Positive thoughts improve the learning capacity and attention span of students. They help in overcoming the fear of mathematics.
Studies have proven that Sudarshan Kriya enhances mental focus and alertness among regular practitioners.
The impact of Sudarshan Kriya on the brain
In a study, the EEG activity or the waves generated by the cells in the brain was recorded before and after performing the Sudarshan Kriya. It was observed that Sudarshan Kriya activates both the slower frequencies like Delta, Theta and Alpha waves and the faster waves like Beta and Gamma waves. The impact was bigger on faster waves.
The next positive outcome was an improved coherence between the left and right brain activities. The left brain specializes in logic, language, grammar, memory, strategy, facts, etc.
The right brain specializes in creativity, emotions, concentration, art, intuition, and visual and spatial orientation. In most people, the left brain dominates overall activities.
International Journal of Yoga - Year: 2020 | Volume: 13 | Issue Number: 2 | Page: 130-136
Findings of results
The combined impact of brain wave activities and better synchronization between the left and right brain help Sudarshan Kriya practitioners to have:
- Better attention
- Improved memory
- Enhanced cognitive functions
- Greater emotional and autonomic control
- Higher mental and physical well-being
Refined creativity
Studies show that meditation opens our minds to new ideas, increases our attention span, and builds courage and resilience to face setbacks, part and parcel of any innovative journey. Innovative minds can solve a mathematical problem from multiple angles, offering the shortest and easiest methods on the way. Mathematics is the basis of different subjects like Engineering, Physics, Statistics, Economics, etc. Creative mathematicians can also open up new possibilities in these fields.
So meditation benefits go beyond just earning good grades in Mathematics. The long-term benefits of meditation help students achieve the primary goal of learning, i.e. to apply it for the improvement of the world.
