The Journal
Science-backed perspectives on meditation, mindfulness, and mental wellness. Written for a first read, not a second.
Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Waking Up, and Whitespace, compared honestly: what each does well, where each falls short, and who it suits.
Read the comparisonBreathe in for four, hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four. How to do it, when it helps, and what to do if it feels hard.
What happens in the brain as you drift off, the studies behind the Edison nap, where they disagree, and a way to test it yourself this afternoon.
Sleep strengthens what you learned during the day. Picking up new material while asleep is far more limited. Here is what the studies found, and how to use it.
What brain scans and EEG recordings pick up during meditation, why the popular story about theta waves is shakier than it sounds, and a 10-minute practice built on what the studies found.
Which well-known leaders have described a meditation practice in their own words, why their stories prove less than they seem, what trials of meditation at work found, and a short routine you can try today.
What psychologists mean by a sense of control, why it slips after a hard stretch, and a practical plan built on small goals, if-then planning and tracking that you can start today.
What the studies on ego depletion, habits and if-then plans actually found, and how to lean on willpower less from today.
What the research says about why most people drift away from meditation apps, how to tell whether yours is still helping, and a seven-day reset you can start today.
What randomized trials found about meditation and attention, how much of it you need, what it may do for ADHD, and a ten-minute routine to try before deep work.
What trials and long-term studies found about minutes per sitting, days per week and total practice, where the evidence runs out, and a simple plan for choosing your own dose.
Early studies reported that eight weeks of meditation changed gray matter. A larger trial in 2022 found no such change. Here is what each study found, how big it was, and how to start meditating today.
What the term means, how it differs from a body scan and from somatic therapy, a 10-minute practice to try today, and an honest look at how much research there is.
What a 2025 review in American Psychologist and a meta-analysis of 45 trials found about meditation apps, why so few people keep using them, and how to get more from the one on your phone.
How to practice metta step by step, what randomized trials found for mood, PTSD and pain, and which popular claims about the brain and aging are still unproven.
What the trials found, including the 2023 study that compared a mindfulness course with escitalopram, which techniques have evidence behind them, and a 10-minute routine you can try today.
Plenty of professional athletes meditate. Here is who is on record, what trials in athletes have measured so far, and a ten-minute routine to try today.
What studies of meditation apps, mindfulness courses and habit formation show about missed days, streaks and how many days a week is enough, plus a plan for a habit that survives a bad week.
What randomized trials found about meditation, sleep quality and insomnia, how it compares with CBT-I, and a body scan you can try in bed tonight.