The Mindfulness Meditation Effect on Brain Electrical Activity: Stress Assessment, Concentration State and Quality of Life

摘要

1 RESEARCH PROBLEM Modern societies are oriented towards a model of life that is increasingly competitive, agitated and demanding. A large part of the population responds, on a daily basis, quickly and under a great amount of stress to their professional responsibilities and household chores, with little time to relax. A preprogrammed way of life, constantly pressed, where there is no opportunity to think, rest or contemplate everything that is good around us, imposes timings, which are contrary to one's natural rhythms. The consequences of this, at first, include changes in the quantity and quality of sleep; in food intake habits, that tend to become inadequate and unhealthy; and in fatigue, that becomes chronic. Over time, the harmful effects to one's health are numerous. Heart problems; body aches; weight loss or gain; hormonal changes; or even difficulty in social relationships, with concomitant isolation from others are common complaints (Institute of Medicine, 2006). Psychological disorders as depression, anxiety and stress begin, either alone or together, to take a significant role in our daily lives. In Europe, Portugal stands out as a country in which these types of health problems are prevalent. One third of its population reports some degree of health perturbations caused by accelerated life styles (Health General Directorate, 2017). This vulnerable and sickly way of living contributes to an increasingly depressed and anxious society. It leads also to the rise of drug consumption, often self-medicated, relieving the symptoms in certain cases, but not addressing the source of the problems.