Deep Rest: An Integrative Model of How Contemplative Practices Combat Stress and Enhance the Body’s Restorative Capacity
Alexandra D Crosswell, Stefanie Eva Mayer, Lauren N Whitehurst, Martin Picard, Sheyda Zebarjadian, Elissa S Epel
PsyArXiv December 20, 2022 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/bkg3j (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that contemplative practices promote physical health by inducing a restorative state termed 'deep rest,' largely facilitated by safety signaling, in which energetic resources shift toward cellular optimization and away from a threat-arousal state. Proposes that this improves psychological and physical functioning by changing how cellular energy is consumed. |
Abstract
Engaging in contemplative practices like meditation, yoga, and prayer, is greatly beneficial for psychological and physical well-being. Recent research has identified some of the underlying psychological and biological pathways that explain these benefits. However, an overarching model has yet to be developed that incorporates the latest research from intervention and experimental studies with the physiological processes related to contemplative practices. In this paper, we link divergent scientific literature on contemplative practice interventions, stress science, and mitochondrial biology, presenting a unified and biologically focused model of how contemplative practices promote physical health. We argue that engaging in contemplative practice facilitates a restorative state termed ‘deep rest,’ largely facilitated by safety signaling, during which energetic resources move towards cellular optimization and away from an energy-demanding threat-arousal state. In sum, our model presents a framework for how contemplative practices enhance positive psychological and physical functioning by improving how cellular energy is consumed.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 47
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
and 42 more in the library