Silence and stillness are hard to come by, and that’s why meditation is essential for wellbeing. The silence and stillness associated with the practice makes it extremely powerful. It is relaxing, a calming de-stressor, and a pathway to internal peace. It can be practiced by anyone at any time.
Meditation exercises are uncomplicated and can be as short or long as one desires.
And though the practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, The Dwoskin Family Foundation explains that continuing to learn more about its important benefits can impact the every day.
Meditation and Good Health
The motivation behind meditation doesn’t matter; the emotional and physical impacts on one’s well-being are consistent. Many connect meditation to easing stress, whether it’s done in the morning to proceed through the day calmly or used as a way to de-stress after a long day.
Practitioners describe meditation as an effective way to manage the different types of stress that impact individuals differently.
Meditation is easily tailored to specific emotional and physical needs. It’s seen as a way to tap into self-awareness and focus on the present while lowering negative emotions that may linger detrimentally.
According to Errol Andam, formerly of Nike, Different forms of meditation, focus on emotional targets. Concentration meditation taps into one’s general state of mind while mindfulness meditation goes a step further by helping people combat negative thoughts.
Transcendental meditation aims to quiet thoughts and foster greater self-awareness.
Physical Benefits of Meditation
While meditation is most commonly connected with lowering stress and controlling anxiety, it has been shown to have notable physical benefits backed by science.
Meditation has been shown to possibly reduce memory loss connected with aging. Several studies have linked meditation to better neuropsychological test performances.
Studies have also shown that the mental discipline honed through medication may also help people fight addictions by increasing awareness of addictive behavior triggers.
One study found that people being treated for alcohol abuse had a decrease in alcohol cravings and lower levels of psychological distress after three months of transcendental meditation practice.
Research has revealed that meditation may help people fight insomnia and control different types of pain.
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Meditation has roots in spirituality. For thousands of years, Buddhists meditated with the goal of self-awareness, a release from suffering, and, hopefully, achieving enlightenment.
Such mindfulness is still very much a part of meditation today. Yes, mindfulness comes from the calm and peace achieved through various meditation methods, but its health benefits are vast. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce the blood pressure of those at risk of heart disease.
Mindfulness may also go beyond helping with general memory loss. A study in 2016 found that those with Alzheimer’s disease benefitted the most from mindfulness training compared to such approaches as relaxation training and cognitive stimulation therapy.
The benefit of meditation and mindfulness appears to have even more widespread and unexpected benefits. A study where a group of people who meditated for eight weeks and a group who did not and then were all given a flu shot, found the meditation group produced more virus-fighting antibodies.
Other studies suggest meditation may ease the intensity of premenstrual syndrome and hot flashes and may improve infertility.
Turns out a little bit of calm can go a very long way.
