Mindfulness and Other Simple Neuroscience-Based Proposals to Promote the Learning Performance and Mental Health of Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Gonzalo Tortella, Amedea Barozzi Seabra, Jorge Padrão, Rodrigo Díaz-San Juan
Brain Sciences April 27, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050552 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness restful sleep physical activity nutrition |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 54 |
| Key findings | The authors argue that pandemic-related restrictions impaired the psychological well-being of teachers and students, and that loneliness, anxiety, and stress have been linked to decreased cognitive performance in school and higher education students. They propose that mindfulness practice, restful sleep, physical activity, and nutrition may support memory and cognition, and offer practical recommendations for effective learning during the pandemic. |
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on education. The restrictions imposed have undoubtedly led to impairment of the psychological well-being of both teachers and students, and of the way they experience interpersonal relationships. As reported previously in the literature, adverse effects such as loneliness, anxiety, and stress have resulted in a decrease in the cognitive performance of school and higher education students. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present a general overview of the reported adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which may potentially influence the learning performance of students. Some neuroscientific findings related to memory and cognition, such as neuroplasticity and long-term potentiation, are also shown. We also discuss the positive effects of the practice of mindfulness, as well as other simple recommendations based on neuroscientific findings such as restful sleep, physical activity, and nutrition, which can act on memory and cognition. Finally, we propose some practical recommendations on how to achieve more effective student learning in the context of the pandemic. The aim of this review is to provide some assistance in this changing and uncertain situation in which we all find ourselves, and we hope that some of the information could serve as a starting point for hypotheses to be tested in educational research and their association with neuroscience.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Executive Function Training Through a Mindfulness-Based Neuroeducational Program in Elementary School Students Mindfulness November 1, 2024
- Discussion on the Application of Mindfulness Therapy in the Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Narrative Review Psychology Research and Behavior Management August 1, 2025
- Job Search during COVID-19: How Online Mindfulness Intervention helped to Reduce Stress and Enhance the Self-esteem of the Job Seeker F1000Research November 4, 2022
- Cultivating Adolescents’ Self-Compassion Through Mindfulness: The Role of Self-Regulation at Both the Individual- and Classroom-Level Contemporary School Psychology May 21, 2025
- A Comparative Review of Research on Mindfulness in Pre/Post Covid-19 Education British Journal of Education February 15, 2023
and 4 more in the library
Cites 14
- The effects of a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program on stress, mindfulness self‐efficacy, and positive states of mind Stress and Health June 10, 2004
- Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Long-Lasting Changes in Hippocampal Functional Topology during Resting State: A Magnetoencephalography Study Neural Plasticity December 18, 2018
- Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2021
- Brief Mindfulness Meditation Induces Gray Matter Changes in a Brain Hub Journal of Neural Transplantation and Plasticity November 16, 2020
- Brief mindfulness training increased glutamate metabolism in the anterior cingulate cortex. Neuroreport November 4, 2020
and 9 more in the library