It’s often hard to keep our thoughts centered on the present. Instead of enduring boredom, many of us whip out our phones to occupy the slightest spare time. This may seem minor, but it could hurt us when we’re dealing with stress or anxiety. That’s where meditation can help. It brings our attention back to the present, which can positively affect our minds and bodies. Here are some meditation benefits worth mentioning.
Firstly, it helps to reduce stress. Stress, sometimes ignored, can seriously harm our health. It can mess with our sleep, cause overeating, thin our hair, and lead to heart or digestion issues. If we manage to lessen stress, it could revolutionize our health. Meditation fights back against stress-caused damage. Here’s how: stress pumps up our cortisol levels, a hormone responsible for stress-induced troubles like inflammation. Studies have found mindfulness meditation, which brings our attention back to the now, can lower the inflammation caused by stress. If stress is eating you up, why not try meditation?
Next, it aids in managing pain. Over 50 million Americans deal with chronic pain, which makes basic daily chores a big challenge. Nowadays, doctors avoid prescribing addictive opiate-based painkillers. Instead, they explore alternatives like cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, and meditation. Research indicates meditation can boost tolerance in short-term pain and might offer short-term relief for lower back pain sufferers. Before you include meditation in your pain management plan, make sure to talk it over with your doctor.
Thirdly, meditation can lower the chances of depression, which can drastically lower life’s joy, making it difficult to find purpose. Meditation fights stress and anxiety, known triggers for depressive episodes. These conditions often stem from negative self-perception and a hopeless outlook for the future. Mindfulness meditation can shatter these negative thoughts by teaching the brain to focus on the now.
Lastly, it helps reduce blood pressure. Cardiovascular disease, leading to early deaths worldwide, urges us all to prioritize heart health. Lowering blood pressure protects our hearts long-term. High blood pressure makes the heart pump faster, weakening its function, and narrows the arteries raising the risks of heart attacks or strokes. But guess what? Meditation, coupled with a healthy diet, can lower blood pressure levels. Various meditation forms have shown to induce relaxation, during which blood pressure drops and arteries widen.
Thinking of giving it a try? It’s never been easier to start meditating. You can find loads of instructional videos online that’ll teach you everything you need to know. Begin your journey to better mental and physical health today with meditation.
