Research & Resources
Meditation & Yoga for Cognitive Health
Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation – Kirtan Kriya Meditation
Research from the ARPF shows that just 12 minutes of daily Kirtan Kriya practice can improve cognition, boost mood, and reduce stress in older adults.Studies also found improved sleep, reduced depression, and increased blood flow to brain regions associated with memory and emotional regulation.
Kirtan Kriya Yoga Exercise and Alzheimer’s Prevention
Technology Networks – “Kundalini Yoga Provides Unique Cognitive Benefits to Older Women”
This study compared Kundalini yoga with traditional memory training and found that Kundalini practitioners showed greater improvement in executive functioning, emotional resilience, and overall well-being, suggesting yoga offers benefits beyond cognitive exercise alone.
News Medical – “Kundalini Yoga May Be Beneficial for Older Women with Alzheimer’s Risk Factors”
In older women at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Kundalini yoga helped strengthen brain connectivity, particularly in regions linked to memory and stress response. This shows the potential of meditation and movement in maintaining brain structure and function as we age.
“Five Benefits of Meditation”
A clear, practical overview of how meditation impacts physical and emotional health — including lower blood pressure, improved mood, and enhanced concentration. This piece highlights meditation’s holistic benefits for mind, body, and spirit.
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
This research brief summarizes findings that Kundalini yoga improves memory performance and stress resilience, suggesting its value in proactive brain health programs for active older adults.
Kundalini Yoga Benefits Women at Risk of Alzheimer’s
National Library of Medicine - “Kundalini Yoga Intervention for Cognitive Function”
Peer-reviewed study confirming that Kundalini yoga can improve memory performance, mood, and sleep in older adults with mild cognitive impairment — a key step in slowing the onset of dementia.
Healthline – “What Is Kundalini Meditation?”
A helpful overview for beginners — describing the foundations of Kundalini meditation, the focus on breath, mantras, and mindfulness, and how it promotes a calm yet alert state of mind ideal for daily practice.
Harvard Researchers Find Meditation Increases Gray Matter in the Brain
A Harvard study found that just eight weeks of mindfulness meditation increased gray matter density in brain regions associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
Mindfulness Practice Leads to Increases in Regional Brain Gray Matter Density
Peer-reviewed research confirming that mindfulness meditation leads to measurable structural changes in the brain, including increased gray matter in the hippocampus.
Meditation and the Aging Brain
Study showing that long-term meditation practitioners maintain better-preserved brains as they age, suggesting neuroprotective benefits.
How Meditation Helps Preserve the Aging Brain
UCLA research discovered that people who meditate regularly have more gray matter volume throughout the brain than those who don’t.
Meditation and Neuroplasticity: How the Mind Shapes the Brain
An overview of neuroplasticity research showing how meditation enhances the brain’s ability to form new neural connections and improve cognitive flexibility.
Meditation and Its Effects on Attention and Emotional Regulation
Explores how meditation impacts neural networks related to attention, focus, and emotional stability, improving overall mental performance.
Meditation and Memory: Evidence from Cognitive Neuroscience
Shows that mindfulness meditation improves working memory and cognitive function, supporting its use in preventing cognitive decline.
Further Reading & Tools
Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation: alzheimersprevention.org
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: nccih.nih.gov
UCLA Longevity Center:uclahealth.org/longevity