Even powerful drugs like morphine are not as effective as meditation for pain relief. A recent study says that just 20 minutes mediation training daily can reduce pain more effectively than powerful drugs like morphine.

For the study, researchers observed 75 healthy and pain-free people before separating them into groups and testing their pain responses. After looking at the participants’ brain scans, it was discovered proper breathing and relaxation techniques showed a calming of the part of the brain which reacts to pain. In fact, during meditation this part of the brain seemed to be turned off.

The study was carried out by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in North Carolina, according to a report published in the Daily Mail.