Everyday ouches—a stubbed toe, a papercut—may cause less distress to your brain if you meditate regularly, according to a new study in the journal NeuroReport.

To test transcendental meditation’s effects on the brain’s response to sudden pain, researchers compared 12 healthy 30-year TM practitioners with 12 others of similar health who had received only an introductory TM lecture.

Upon having their fingers immersed in hot water for 30 seconds, all participants generally reported the same level of discomfort. But brain scans of the long-term meditators showed up to 50 percent less activity in some brain regions in response to the pain.

“Prior research indicates that transcendental meditation creates a more balanced outlook and greater equanimity in reacting to stress,” explains lead study author David Orme-Johnson, PhD. “This study suggests that this is not just attitudinal, but a fundamental change in how the brain functions.”