Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduces activation in brain regions related to self-blame in patients in remission from depression. These areas of the brain are linked to emotions such as guilt and embarrassment. Reduced self-blame from this therapy was linked to greater self-kindness.
The Japanese Zen term 'shoshin' translates as âbeginnerâs mindâ and refers to a paradox: the more you know about a subject, the more likely you are to close your mind to further learning. Psychological research is now examining ways to foster shoshin in daily life.
Some people get irritated if they do not get enough sleep but others seem to be quite resilient and show little effect. A new brain imaging study found that people with greater white-matter compactness tended to display a greater ability to sustain a positive mood during sleep deprivation.