Staying in the moment can be tough these days! But who can blame us? With our smartphones buzzing non-stop, it’s so tempting to escape into a digital world whenever things get a bit dull. You might think it’s harmless, but letting our minds wander leaves less time for dealing with the real world stress and anxiety. That’s where meditation comes in. By sticking in the present, meditation can be a huge help both mentally and physically.
1. Lower Stress
It’s easy to forget about the harm stress can do. Too much of it can lead to sleep problems, overeating, and even hair loss. In the worst cases, it can lead to heart and stomach issues. But here’s the good news: you can actually fight off stress with meditation. How so? Well, stress increases a hormone called cortisol, which causes inflammation. Mindfulness meditation redirects our attention to the present, lowering stress and body inflammation. If you’re feeling stressed, give it a shot!
2. Pain Relief
Did you know over 50 million Americans deal with constant pain? If you’re one of them, you know how tough it can be even doing daily chores. Many doctors are moving away from strong, addictive painkillers and are looking at alternatives like therapy, acupuncture, and indeed, meditation. A couple of recent studies found that meditation can increase tolerance to short-term pain, while also potentially providing relief from lower back pain. It’s always best to check with your doctor first before trying something new.
3. Beating Depression
Living with depression can take a lot of the joy out of life. But by fighting stress and anxiety, meditation can help to keep depression at bay. You see, both stress and anxiety often come from negative thinking. Mindfulness meditation retrains your brain to focus on the now, breaking those patterns of negative thoughts.
4. Healthy Heart
Heart disease causes a lot of premature deaths worldwide. That’s why keeping an eye on your heart health should be a priority for everyone. Reducing blood pressure is a game-changer for heart health. Too high and your heart has to work overtime, eventually leading to issues including heart attacks or strokes. Dieting can help but’s not the full answer. Meditation is also proven to lower blood pressure by calming down our brains. When we’re relaxed, blood pressure falls, inflammation lowers and arteries widen.
Give meditation a try! It’s super easy to get started—some quick online videos will guide you through it. It might not seem much, but the benefits for your mental and physical health might surprise you.
