Mind Over Medicine: Meditation's Untapped Power in Neurorehabilitation

Meditation is an activity to build relaxation, mindfulness and emotional stability, all of which are usually missing in individuals recovering from severe illness. The qualitative methodology utilized by this study incorporated an integrated review of the existing peer-reviewed literature and thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews to investigate how meditation impacts mental health, neurorehabilitation, and recovery in individuals receiving cancer treatment. Results indicated that while there were no changes noted in terms of objective measures of mental health, there was a significant improvement in the ability to regulate emotions and reduce the level of stress and anxiety experienced. Participants who reported using meditation demonstrated increased levels of energy, improved sleep quality, and reduced levels of fatigue during their participation in the physically demanding aspects of cancer treatment. Both the quantitative and qualitative results supported the conclusion that meditation can be incorporated into neurorehabilitation programs such that the recovery processes of the brain (neurological) and mind (psychological) can occur simultaneously rather than separately. Overall, this research suggests that meditation may assist patients in achieving higher levels of wellness and recovery outcomes when combined with conventional forms of medical treatment. Future studies utilizing greater sample sizes and diversity are needed to examine the longer term neurological, functional, and quality of life consequences resulting from continued meditation practices.