MAP Training My Brain™: Meditation Plus Aerobic Exercise Lessens Trauma of Sexual Violence More Than Either Activity Alone

Abstract

Sexual violence against women often leads to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental illness characterized by intrusive thoughts and memories about the traumatic event (Shors and Millon, 2016). These mental processes are obviously generated by the brain but often felt in the body. MAP Training My Brain™ is a novel clinical intervention that combines mental training of the brain with physical training of the body (Curlik and Shors, 2013; Shors et al., 2014). Each training session begins with 20-min of sitting meditation, followed by 10-min of slow-walking meditation, and ending with 30-min of aerobic exercise at 60–80% of the maximum heart rate (see maptrainmybrain.com). In previous studies, the combination of mental and physical (MAP) training together significantly reduced symptoms of depression and ruminative thoughts, while reducing anxiety (Shors et al., 2014, 2017; Alderman et al., 2016). We also documented positive changes in brain activity during cognitive control and whole-body oxygen consumption in various populations. In the present pilot study, we asked whether the combination of meditation and aerobic exercise during MAP Training would reduce trauma-related thoughts, ruminations, and memories in women and if so, whether the combination would be more effective than either activity alone. To test this hypothesis, interventions were provided to a group of women (n = 105), many of whom had a history of sexual violence (n = 32). Groups were trained with (1) MAP Training, (2) meditation alone, (3) aerobic exercise alone, or (4) not trained. Individuals in training groups completed two sessions a week for at least 6 weeks. MAP Training My Brain™ significantly reduced post-traumatic cognitions and ruminative thoughts in women with a history of sexual violence, whereas meditation alone, and exercise alone did not. MAP Training significantly enhanced a measure of self-worth, whereas meditation and exercise alone did not. Similar positive effects were observed for all participants, although meditation alone was also effective in reducing trauma-related thoughts. Overall, these data indicate the combination of meditation and exercise is synergistic. As a consequence, MAP Training is preferable and especially so for women who have experienced sexual violence in their past. Simply put, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Acute exercise and mindfulness meditation on learning and memory: randomized controlled intervention

“…In addition to acute exercise, future work should consider the combined effects of chronic exercise and chronic meditation training on memory function. 29 Such work should aim to overcome the limitations of the present experiment, including population homogeneity.…”

Stressful Life Memories Relate to Ruminative Thoughts in Women With Sexual Violence History, Irrespective of PTSD

“…We recently developed a novel intervention to help women recover from the trauma of SV ( 26 , 27 , 96 ). The intervention is known as MAP Training because it combines “Mental And Physical” Training.…”

“…After 6 weeks of training, twice a week, women with SV history reported significantly fewer trauma-related cognitions and ruminative thoughts than women with SV history who were trained with meditation alone or exercise alone. Women who completed MAP Training also reported greater self-worth than the other training groups ( 26 ). It is unclear how this intervention works to reduce rumination and trauma-related thoughts.…”

Physiological Changes from Violence-Induced Stress and Trauma Enhance HIV Susceptibility Among Women

“…Intervention research utilizing the toxic stress theory across the life course would more holistically address young and adult women's prevention needs. Given the physiological stress response that occurs following sexual violence, interventions that integrate mindfulness-based stress reduction skills [78], and meditation combined with physical exercise [79] may prove to facilitate reductions in HIV susceptibility. These interventions can be implemented at the point of service for women who have experienced sexual violence (e.g., local community hospital, long-term domestic violence shelter).…”