冥想的科學力量：英語精讀講義

For thousands of years people have practiced meditation for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. 片語搭配

數千年來，人們一直透過冥想來增進心靈、情緒與身體健康。

But from a scientific perspective, 表達脈絡

不過，從科學角度來看，

how exactly does meditating affect your body? 文法

冥想究竟會如何影響你的身體？

Does it really do anything?

它真的有作用嗎？

It all starts in the brain.

一切都始於大腦。

During meditation,

在冥想期間，

brain scans see increased activity in regions directly correlated with decreased anxiety and depression 用詞

腦部掃描顯示，與焦慮和憂鬱減輕直接相關的腦區活動有所增強，

along with increased pain tolerance.

同時，疼痛耐受度也有所提高。

The default mode network in particular

尤其是預設模式網路，

is activated when one's mind is at rest and not focusing on the outside world 片語搭配

會在人處於休息狀態、沒有專注於外在世界時啟動，

and has been found to improve memory, self-awareness, and goal setting. 文法

研究也發現，它能改善記憶力、自我覺察和目標設定能力。

Want to be more caring to your friends and family?

想對親朋好友更有關愛嗎？

When scientists compared the brains of Buddhist monks to new meditators, 片語搭配

當科學家比較佛教僧侶與冥想新手的大腦時，

they found the region of the brain associated with empathy

他們發現，與同理心相關的腦區

to be much more pronounced in the monks. 用詞

在僧侶的大腦中明顯發達得多。

It also literally changes your brain waves

冥想甚至真的會改變你的腦波，

and we can measure these frequencies.

而我們可以測量這些頻率。

Meditators have higher levels of alpha waves

冥想者的阿爾法波水平較高，

which have been shown to reduce feelings of negative mood,

研究顯示，這種腦波能減少負面情緒，

tension, sadness, and anger.

以及緊張、悲傷和憤怒。

And if that wasn't enough, 表達脈絡

如果這些還不夠，

it also physically changes our brain shape and size.

冥想還會實際改變我們大腦的形狀和大小。

Studies found that after 8 weeks of a meditation program,

研究發現，參加冥想課程八週後，

gray matter was more dense in areas associated with learning,

與學習相關的腦區中，灰質密度有所增加，

memory processing, and emotion regulation.

在與記憶處理和情緒調節相關的腦區中也是如此。

And yet the amygdala, 表達脈絡

但杏仁核的情況卻相反，

which deals with stress, blood pressure, and fear, 用詞

它負責處理壓力、血壓和恐懼，

had decreased gray matter.

灰質反而有所減少。

When we look at the entire body,

當我們觀察整個身體時，

not only do we see decreased blood pressure, 文法

我們不只會看到血壓下降，

but it can also increase the variability of your heart rate.

冥想還可能提高心率變異性。

And while this may sound harmful, 文法

雖然這聽起來可能有害，

it actually plays a critical role in properly transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide 片語搭配

但心率變異性其實對氧氣和二氧化碳的正常運輸至關重要，

throughout your body.

能幫助它們送達全身各處。

Think you're getting sick? 文法

覺得自己快生病了嗎？

In a study where both meditators and non-meditators were given the flu virus,

一項研究讓冥想者和非冥想者都接觸流感病毒，

meditators were able to produce a greater number of antibodies

結果冥想者能產生更多抗體，

and had increased immune function.

免疫功能也有所增強。

If we go a little deeper, 慣用語

如果我們再深入一點，

we can even see changes on a cellular level. 片語搭配

甚至能看到細胞層次的變化。

Your chromosomes have protective protein complexes called telomeres, 文法

你的染色體上有被稱為端粒的保護性蛋白質複合體，

which help reduce damage to your DNA

它們有助於減少DNA損傷，

and lower cell death.

並降低細胞死亡率。

And a shortened telomere length

而端粒長度縮短

has been linked to several diseases such as cardiovascular disease,

已被發現與多種疾病有關，例如心血管疾病、

diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

糖尿病、阿茲海默症和癌症。

Amazingly, when cancer survivors completed a meditation program,

令人驚訝的是，癌症倖存者完成冥想課程後，

their bodies showed significant increases in telomere length. 片語搭配

體內的端粒長度顯著增加。

It's believed that psychological intervention, 文法

人們認為，心理介入，

particularly decreasing stress,

尤其是減輕壓力，

has a direct effect on the enzyme telomerase, 片語搭配

會直接影響端粒酶，

which has been shown to counteract shortening

這種酶已被證實能抵消端粒縮短，

by adding DNA to the shrinking telomeres. 文法

方式是向不斷縮短的端粒添加DNA。

Of course, 表達脈絡

當然，

meditation is not a substitute for other medical advice 片語搭配

冥想無法取代其他醫療建議，

or a healthy lifestyle.

也無法取代健康的生活方式。

We don't want you leaving this video thinking it will cure cancer. 文法

我們可不希望你看完這部影片後，以為冥想能治癒癌症。

But much like hitting the gym can grow your muscles and increase your overall health, 講解

不過，就像上健身房能鍛鍊肌肉、提升整體健康一樣，

it seems that meditation may be a way of working out your brain 慣用語

冥想似乎也能成為鍛鍊大腦的一種方式，

with extra health benefits.

而且還能帶來額外的健康益處。

And since your brain controls,

既然你的大腦控制著……

well, all of you, 語氣意圖

呃，你的一切，

why not relax and say om every once in a while. 講解

那何不偶爾放鬆一下，念一聲「Om」呢？

And if you like working out your brain,

如果你喜歡鍛鍊大腦，

be sure to get our AsapSCIENCE book,

別忘了購買我們的AsapSCIENCE書籍，

which is now available for pre-sale at asapscience.com/book.

目前已在asapscience.com/book開放預購。

We've got answers to your most asked burning questions, 慣用語

書中針對大家最常問、最想知道的問題，

persistent rumors,

長期流傳的傳言，

and unexplained phenomenon.

以及無法解釋的現象，都提供了答案。

Whether you're a huge science fan or just a curious mind, 文法

無論你是超級科學迷，還是單純充滿好奇，

the book has something for everyone 片語搭配

這本書都能讓每個人有所收穫，

and we're so excited for you to read it

我們非常期待你來閱讀，

and show off your new found knowledge to all your friends. 片語動詞

再向所有朋友展示你新學到的知識。

Thanks again for all the support through the years,

再次感謝大家多年來的支持，

helping us share our love of science with the world.

幫助我們與全世界分享對科學的熱愛。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

記得訂閱，每週觀看更多科學影片。