In our fast-paced, stress-filled world, engaging in regular meditation can seem like an impossible task. But learning to quiet your mind and simply be present has been shown to have immense health benefits – both mental and physical. Read on to learn how taking a few minutes for meditation each day can boost your overall health in numerous ways.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
One of the most extensively researched benefits of meditation is its ability to activate the body’s relaxation response. The practice brings about a state of tranquility by lowering stress hormone levels like cortisol and adrenaline. Research has found that meditating for just 25 minutes per day for several weeks reduces anxiety and depressive symptoms. Meditation also increases activity in the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, which is responsible for controlling emotions.
Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure damages arteries and increases risks of heart disease over time. Since meditation has been found to successfully reduce stress hormones, it lowers blood pressure levels as well. A review of multiple studies showed that meditation had significant effects on reducing blood pressure, especially when practiced for more than three months. Taking time to meditate each day could potentially reduce your risk of hypertension.
Improve Heart Health
The reduction in stress hormones, inflammation and blood pressure also benefits overall heart health. Studies show that regular meditation helps people achieve and sustain healthy blood pressure levels and reduces the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. For patients with existing heart disease, meditation can even reverse symptoms and promote healthy blood flow.
Enhance Self-Awareness
In addition to physical effects, the mental benefits of meditation include improving self-awareness, insight and focus on the present moment. Meditation allows you to tune inward and recognize your thought patterns, emotions and behaviors with clarity and acceptance. Increased self-awareness promotes better understanding and care for yourself as well as more meaningful connections with others.
Sharpen Focus
Mindfulness meditation requires focusing your attention intently on an anchor, often your breath, so your mind becomes calm and centered in the present. Regular practice has been shown to improve focus, concentration and attention span by increasing activity and thickening in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex areas of the brain over time. The mental exercise of returning your focus to the present can also boost your cognitive function and productivity throughout the day.
Improve Sleep
The relaxing, sleep-promoting effects of meditation are well documented. People who meditate fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and have better sleep quality. Meditation helps bring about a calm, peaceful state that enables people to let go of stress that keeps them up at night. Practicing meditation encourages the healthy sleep habits necessary to re-set your body’s natural circadian rhythms.
Slow the Aging Process
Certain forms of meditation may promote longevity and slow cellular aging by protecting telomeres, which are protein caps at the end of DNA strands. One study showed that 40 men with low-risk prostate cancer who participated in a mindfulness meditation program for just two hours a week boosted their telomerase activity significantly, which could potentially promote healthy cell replication and longevity.
Ease Physical Pain
Mindfulness meditation in particular may help ease chronic pain. Several studies have found practicing mindfulness meditation is associated with reduced pain, unpleasantness and sensitivity. Brain scan studies show that meditation can reduce pain by activating parts of the cortex involved in processing sensations from the body. Other theories suggest mindfulness meditation helps people view pain as fleeting, less threatening and easier to cope with.
Start Reaping the Benefits
Meditation is free, easy to learn and accessible anytime. All you need is a comfortable place to sit, a little time set aside and a willingness to try it out. Starting with just 5 or 10 minutes per day can bring you greater focus, calmness, self-awareness and resilience to stress. With so many proven mental and physical health benefits, meditation is considered an extremely effective habit and primary prevention tool to boost overall wellbeing.
Here are some of the most common types of meditation techniques:
- Mindfulness meditation – This involves focusing your attention on the present moment and observing your thoughts, feelings and sensations without judgment. Often this involves paying attention to the breath.
- Transcendental meditation – This technique involves silently repeating a mantra to calm the mind. Mantras are usually assigned by a certified instructor.
- Progressive muscle relaxation – This involves systematically tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout the body to reduce anxiety and stress.
- Loving-kindness meditation – Also known as metta meditation, this practices involves focusing your attention on feelings of love, compassion and goodwill for yourself, loved ones, people you are neutral towards, and even people you have difficulty with.
- Breath awareness meditation – This simple technique involves focusing all your attention solely on the breath, noticing how it feels to breathe in and out.
- Visualization meditation – Also called guided imagery, this involves forming mental images to relax the body and mind. Often nature images or peaceful settings are visualized.
- Movement meditation – This incorporates movement or activity, usually repetitive, with a narrow focus of attention. Examples are walking meditation, qi gong and tai chi.
- Sound meditation – Focusing on sounds or repeating mantras, words or phrases is used to still the mind. Examples are mantra meditation and primordial sound meditation.
- Focused meditation – This involves focusing intently on one object, idea or activity, such as a flame candle, Zen Buddhist koan or yoga pose.
The type of meditation depends on your goals and preferences. It’s common to combine several practices as well. Consistency is key to reaping the most benefits.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this discussion is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or professional advice. Only a qualified health professional can determine what practices are suitable for your individual needs and abilities.
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