You've probably heard about the benefits of meditating. It can improve focus, decrease anxiety, and improve cognition in a variety of other ways. Maybe you're even an experienced meditator yourself.

In this article, we're going to answer some questions about nootropics and meditation. For example, can regular meditation be as powerful a brain booster as taking nootropics? And are there any nootropics that can enhance meditative practice? But before we get to those questions, let's answer this one: What is meditation?

What Is Meditation?

It's hard to lock down a single definition of meditation. It can mean different things to different people. Some people consider completely clearing their mind to be meditation. Others define meditation as focusing on a single word, phrase, or thought. Here's how Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines it:¹

1. to engage in contemplation or reflection
2. to engage in mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness
3. to focus one's thoughts on: reflect or ponder over
4. to plan or project in the mind

Meditation, in one form or another, has been around for thousands of years. It's is an important part of several world religions including Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Jainism, and others.² You could even say that prayer is a form of meditation.

People meditate for a variety of reasons. As mentioned, there are spiritual and religious reasons. But regular meditative practice has been linked to a number of health benefits, both mental and physical. Let's take a look at some of the benefits of meditation and the science behind them.

The Benefits of Meditation

If we define the word nootropic as anything that enhances memory, focus, and other aspects of cognition, meditation can definitely be thought of as one. It has several nootropic benefits which have been extensively studied over the past couple of decades. Here are some of them:

1. Increased Focus/Attention

One of the most-widely-reported benefits of meditation is an increase in focus. I can say that, from personal experience, I definitely find this to be the case. Even after just one short session, I find that meditating helps me to focus my thoughts and energy better. And at times in my life when I was meditating regularly, its focus-boosting benefits only increased with time. There's plenty of science to support my experience.

A 2018 study found that even a single, brief session of mindfulness meditation could improve attention and focus.³ A seven-year study also published in 2018, the longest study done on meditation and focus, showed long-term increases in focus and attention.⁴ This study also demonstrated that regular meditation can slow age-related cognitive decline.

These are just two studies that show a link between meditation and focus/attention, but there are plenty of others. Most people who try meditation find that it increases focus and attention, often after their first session.

2. Decreased Anxiety/Stress

Meditation has also been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. I know I always feel calmer after meditating. And there's plenty of science to support that claim. Numerous studies have been done linking meditation to a reduction in anxiety and stress.

A randomized, controlled study published in 2013 found that mindfulness meditation had a beneficial effect for people diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).⁵ A recently-published 2020 study looked at the effect meditation had on anxiety in nursing students.⁶ The researchers found a significant reduction in anxiety among the nursing students who were in the meditation group.

Like meditation's effect on focus, its effect on anxiety has been extensively researched. These are just two of many studies that have shown it to reduce anxiety and stress.

3. Improved Mood & Sense of Well Being

In addition to meditation's ability to increase focus and reduce anxiety, it can also improve mood and overall sense of well being. I find this effect to build gradually over time with regular practice. However, studies have noted an improvement in mood after just one meditative session.

A study published in 2015 found that a single 25-minute session of mindfulness meditation had a beneficial effect on mood.⁷ A paper published in 2012 looked at the evidence for using meditation for depression, anxiety, pain, and general psychological distress.⁸ It concluded that meditation can be highly effective for all of these conditions and recommends it as part of an overall treatment plan.

A 2020 study looked at the effect meditation had on mood and anxiety in college students.⁹ 74 students were enrolled in a meditation course and compared to 73 students in a control group. The results showed an improvement in mood and reduction in anxiety in the students who meditated but not in the control group. Lastly, another 2020 study showed a single meditative session to improve mood and reduce anxiety in college students. ¹⁰

4. A Whole Lot More

The 3 nootropic benefits of meditation above are some of the most common and sought after, but they're not the only ones. Meditation has also been shown to increase optimism,¹¹ reduce certain types of bias and discrimination,¹² increase compassion,¹³ and even improve relationships.¹⁴

But meditation's benefits aren't limited to the mind. It has also been shown to have a number of physical benefits as well. Meditation has been shown to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Ulcerative Colitis (UC), menopause, inflammation, and several other conditions.¹⁵

Nootropics and Meditation

As we've seen, meditation can have a number of powerful nootropic effects. Even a single session can increase focus, boost mood, and reduce anxiety. And these effects only increase with regular practice. So, we know that meditation can be used to improve several aspects of cognition. But can nootropics be used to improve meditation?

This is something that hasn't been really been explored scientifically. I couldn't find any studies that looked at the effects of nootropics on meditation. However, there are anecdotal reports of people using various nootropics to improve their meditative practice. Let's take a quick look at some of the most-commonly-used nootropics for meditation.

1. L-Theanine

This seems to be the most popular nootropic being used to improve meditative performance. L-theanine is a non-essential amino acid that is found naturally in green tea.¹⁶ It's incredibly popular in the nootropics community for its ability to reduce anxiety. And l-theanine is able to reduce anxiety without causing sedation like most prescription anxiolytics (anxiety-reducing drugs).¹⁷

For people who find that anxiety gets in the way of meditating, l-theanine may be helpful. If you have tried to meditate but just found yourself sitting there worrying about stuff, l-theanine can help to calm the mind so you can focus your attention better. Some people have reported that taking l-theanine before a session can increase the results of meditation.

You can learn more about l-theanine here: L-Theanine – A Calming Nootropic.

2. Modafinil

This is another common nootropic that people report can help with meditation. Modafinil is easily one of the most-effective nootropics and is generally considered to be very safe. Nootropic users like modafinil for its ability to increase wakefulness, alertness, focus, and attention. And some find that these benefits help with meditation.

Modafinil is in a class of drugs called eugeroics, or wakefulness-promoting agents.¹⁸ It works, at least in park, by affecting the neurotransmitter dopamine.¹⁹ This neurotransmitter is known to play a role in focus, attention, motivation, pleasure, goal-oriented behavior, and other things.

Some meditators have found modafinil (as well as armodafinil) to be help with their meditative practice. People who have trouble focusing seem to get the most benefit from taking modafinil before meditation. They often report that modafinil allows them to focus their mind enough to meditate effectively while, without it, they struggle to stay on task.

You can learn more about modafinil here: Modafinil – A Powerful and Popular Nootropic.

3. Adaptogens

Some people have reported that certain adaptogens have helped them to get more out of meditation. Adaptogens are naturally-occurring plants that help the body adapt to stress and have a normalizing effect on bodily processes.²⁰ Some people have found that taking one-or-more adaptogens before meditation can help them to do so more effectively. Here are a few of the adaptogenic plants that nootropic users have taken to improve meditation:

• Ashwagandha
• Bacopa Monnieri
• Mucuna Pruriens
• Rhodiola Rosea

The people who's meditative practices seem to benefit most from these adaptogens are the ones who struggle with anxiety and depression. All of the above adaptogens are known to improve mood and reduce anxiety. If you're really anxious and depressed, you're not going to be able to meditate effectively. By taking one-or-more adaptogens that address these underlying issues, they remove the barriers preventing you from getting the most of out meditation.

4. Racetams

Lastly, some people find that taking certain racetams before meditating helps their practice. The racetams are a family of drugs, most of which have potent nootropic properties, that are all chemically similar.²¹ The first nootropic ever created, piracetam, is in the racetam family.²² The racetams include:

• Piracetam
• Aniracetam
• Oxiracetam
• Phenylpiracetam
• Pramiracetam
• Fasoracetam
• Several Others

Some people have found success using one or more racetams to enhance meditation. The most-commonly used for this purpose seem to be piracetam and aniracetam. Users often report that these nootropics help them to stay focused, in the moment, and less anxious (aniracetam in particular).

You can learn more about the racetams from the following articles:

• The Best Racetams – A Comparison
• The Lesser-Known Racetams

Conclusion

Meditation, in one form or another, has been practiced for thousands of years around the world. Most practitioners swear by its effectiveness. And modern science has shown that many of the purported benefits of meditation are very-much true.

Nootropic users love meditation for two reasons. First of all, meditation is, in many ways, a nootropic itself. And second, several nootropics can help to increase meditation's benefits by helping you get more out of your sessions.

Do you meditate? Do you find it to increase focus, decrease anxiety, boost mood, or improve any other aspects of cognition? And have you ever used any nootropics to get more out of your meditative practice?

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