Health ministry of republic of moldova the university of medicine and pharmacy nicolae testemiţanu

 
loss.
Meditation 
is a retraining of attention that induces an altered state 
of consciousness. Some form of meditation has been used in every 
major religion, still there are large differences in the ways meditation 
can be practiced. Although the particular physiological changes that 
result vary depending on the type of meditation, generally they resemble 
deep relaxation, with lowered metabolic rates and an increase in alpha 
wave output. Supporters of meditation claim it reduces stress, increases 
happiness and enriches life.
In meditation, an altered state of consciousness is achieved by per-
forming certain rituals and exercises. Typical characteristics of the 
meditative state include intensified perception, an altered sense of time, 
decreased distraction from external stimuli, and a sense that the experi-
ence is pleasurable and rewarding. While meditation is traditionally 
associated with Zen Buddhism, a secular form called Transcendental 
Meditation (TM) has been widely used in the United States for purposes 
of relaxation. It has been found that during this type of meditation, peo-
ple consume less oxygen, eliminate less carbon dioxide, and breathe mo-
re slowly than when they are in an ordinary resting state. 
Through meditation
, 
yogis are able to achieve the state called 
sa-
madhi
, or 
nirvana
in which awareness is separated from the senses. This 
and similar experiences in meditation and biofeedback differ from drea-
ming and hypnosis, since the subject regulates his or her own state of 
consciousness.
Biofeedback
is the use of monitoring instruments to give a person 
continuous information about his or her biological state. By trial and 
error, the subject gradually learns to control these internal states and 
regulate a variety of physiological processes, such as heart rhythms, 

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body temperature, and muscle tension. Biofeedback has been used to in-
crease the time spent in the state between sleep and wakefulness.