The Shala Daily

Chewing gum might seem like a trivial habit, but new research suggests it could have a powerful—if mysterious—effect on the brain. In a recent piece for National Geographic, scientists share their evolving understanding of how this simple act sharpens attention, soothes nerves, and even nudges memory and learning in subtle ways.

This isn’t just a neuroscience curiosity—it echoes the ancient yogic idea that seemingly minor rituals can have outsized effects on our state of mind. Like breath, like mantra, perhaps the act of chewing is a quiet key to embodied focus.

🧠 Habit, Ritual, and the Power of Repetition

Chewing gum is repetitive—each chomp reinforcing a kind of rhythm, a subtle grounding in the present. Neuroscientists have found that these small repetitive actions can help regulate attention. In yoga, we lean into ritual for similar reasons: posture, breath, and even the echo of a chant bring us back to the here and now, again and again.

The brain’s response to gum might mirror what happens when we engage a drishti (gaze point) or follow the steady pattern of sun salutations. Each becomes a neurological anchor, helping us resist distraction and settle the mind.

🔬 Focus, Flow, and the Science of Subtlety

Researchers still debate the exact mechanisms—maybe it’s increased blood flow, or the gentle arousal of the nervous system, or even a placebo effect. But the idea that a small act can shape mental states feels true to experience, whether in the lab or the yoga shala.

We often search for dramatic interventions to spark focus, but science (and practice) remind us that subtle, embodied actions—a chew, a breath, a posture—can shift everything.

📝 The Invitation to Self-Study

What do your own habits—mundane or mindful—do for your mind? The yogic path encourages svadhyaya, or self-study: noticing how small rituals, from gum to mantra, either help or hinder our clarity. Chewing gum may never be a substitute for meditation, but it’s a fascinating window into the mind’s hidden levers.

Curiosity, not dogma, opens the door to understanding both our brains and our habits—on the mat, in the world, and perhaps every time we reach for a piece of gum.

— MJH