Staying focused on what’s happening at the moment seems harder than ever. We have a tendency to grab our phones at the slightest hint of boredom, which can often sidetrack us from the here and now. This might seem small, but it can have big consequences, especially when we’re stressed or anxious. Meditation is a tool that can help us come back to the present, and it can do wonders for our minds and bodies.
Here are some of the key benefits of meditation:
1. **Stress Relief**
We often forget that stress can harm our health. Chronic stress can mess up our sleeping patterns, make us eat too much, and even contribute to hair loss. If we don’t deal with it, it can lead to serious heart and stomach problems. Lessening stress can significantly uplift our lives.
Meditation helps combat the harmful effects of stress by minimizing the impacts of the stress hormone cortisol, which also reduces inflammation in the body. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, can lead to a decrease in stress-induced inflammation. So, if you find yourself stressed out, give meditation a try.
2. **Pain Management**
A lot of people, over 50 million Americans in fact, deal with chronic pain daily. For many, it makes even the simplest tasks hard to perform. These days, doctors are steering clear from opioid painkillers due to addiction risks. As a result, other approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, and now, meditation are more popular than ever for managing pain.
Research discovered meditation can help people endure acute, short-duration pain, and it may even provide some relief for those with lower back pain. Always consult your doctor before adding meditation to your pain management routine.
3. **Fighting Depression**
Depression is an uphill battle for most who experience it, and it can cast a wide shadow over their lives. Stress or anxiety can bring about periods of depression, often linked to negative, self-deprecating thoughts. These thought patterns can make it hard for someone to envision a better future. Mindfulness meditation can help break this cycle by training the brain to focus on the present moment.
4. **Reducing Blood Pressure**
Heart disease is a major cause of premature deaths worldwide, and we all could do more for heart health.
Lowering blood pressure is one straightforward way to care for our hearts in the long run. High blood pressure makes our heart work overtime, and this puts undue stress on our hearts. It can also lead to more serious issues like heart attacks or strokes if our arteries become narrow.
Along with a healthy diet, meditation can help decrease blood pressure. Meditative techniques such as transcendental meditation and mindfulness meditation promote relaxation and thus can lower blood pressure. Studies have shown significant improvements for patients’ blood pressure and inflammation during these relaxation phases.
**Ready to give it a go?**
Getting started with meditation is easier than you may think. Plenty of online tutorials are available, and before you know it, you’ll have all the knowledge you need.
Categories: General
Tags: Benefits, Meditation, Mental, Physical Health.
