Blissful Brain

The Blissful Brain is published by Gaia Thinking. For more information on how to order your copy, please click here.

Guardian G2: Mind over matter by Andy Darling

"Neuroscientist Shanida Nataraja has proven meditation does more than clear your head, it can put both halves of your brain to work, improving your concentration, memory, and decision-making...". To read more, please click here.

The Times: Calm down dear by Angela Pertusini

"Claims by the neuroscientist Shanida Nataraja regarding the benefits of meditation have been backed up by rigourous scientific research and are explained in her acclaimed book The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation". To read more, please click here.

Just this Day event: A Day of Silence and Stillness at St Martin's in the Field on 23rd of November 2011

Shanida Nataraja will be participating in this exciting event that aims to explore the power of silience and stillness in our busy world. For more information, please click here or visit the Just This Day website.

Mindfulness in the Workplace: Brain based approaches to improving employee resilience and productivity at Robinson College, Cambridge on 10 February 2012

Shanida Nataraja will be speaking at this day event that brings together leading experts in mindfulness to discuss how it could help organisations improve productivity & resiliance. Speakers include Professor Mark Williams, Michael Chaskalson, Ruby Wax, Margaret Chapman, and more (for more information, please see click here.

Latest Research

Effects on employees and healthcare professionals

Thomley BS, Ray SH, Cha SS, Bauer BA.
Explore (NY). 2011;7(1):27-9.
Effects of a brief, comprehensive, yoga-based program on quality of life and biometric measures in an employee population: a pilot study.

This study investigated the effect of a yoga-based wellness programme in 50 employees. The 6-week programme involved yoga and instruction about the benefits of mindfulness, breath and meditation. Significant improvements were seen with respect to weight, diastolic blood pressure, flexibility, body fat percentage and overall quality of life. This pilot study suggests that the yoga-based wellness program is both feasible and effective in creating positive, short-term improvements in several aspects of health and wellness for a population of employees.

Martín-Asuero A, García-Banda G.
Span J Psychol. 2010;13(2):897-905.
The Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) reduces stress-related psychological distress in healthcare professionals.

This pilot study investigated the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction in 29 professionals seeking stress reduction. After 8 weeks of MBSR, individuals reported a 35% reduction in distress, a 30% reduction in rumination and a 20% decrease in negative affect. These benefits were sustained for the full 3 months of the follow up period. These findings suggest that MBSR may be an effective method of teaching healthcare professionals to manage to stress associated with their profession.

Effects on patients with fibromyalgia

Schmidt S, Grossman P, Schwarzer B, et al.
Pain. 2011;152(2):361-9.
Treating fibromyalgia with mindfulness-based stress reduction: results from a 3-armed randomized controlled trial.

177 female patients with fibromyalgia - a clinical syndrome associated with chronic pain, fatigue and insomnia - underwent an 8-week programme of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). The study revealed no effects on health-related quality of life, and based on these findings, MBSR cannot be considered to be an effective intervention for patients with fibromyalgia.

Carson JW, Carson KM, Jones KD, et al
Pain. 2010;151(2):530-9.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of the Yoga of Awareness program in the management of fibromyalgia.

This randomized controlled study investigated a 8-week yoga programme involving gentle poses, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga-based coping instructions and group discussions. The 53 female patients with fibromyalgia showed significantly greater improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms and functioning, including pain, fatigue, mood, acceptance, and other coping strategies. This study therefore provides evidence that yoga may be beneficial in women with fibromyalgia.