The old adage of “mind over matter” is true, according to the results of a Hungarian study. Their findings proposed that most attention-related body sensations take their cues from psychological stimuli from the central nervous system (CNS) rather than from the peripheral nervous system (PNS.)
The researchers reported that cognitive processes are responsible for body sensations such as numbness, pulse, tingling, and warmth. So, anything that adjusts one’s state of mind – such as meditative contemplation or mindful practices – can also alter these common sensations that were formerly attributed to autonomic processes.
Researchers from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary conducted the groundbreaking study. They published their results in Physiology International in 2017. (Related: Don’t sweat the exam: Another study confirms mindfulness reduces stress.)