Keeping your mind focused on the here-and-now can be a real challenge these days. With our phones constantly in our hands, we miss out on the beauty of the present moment. But, guess what? This simple act of staying present can help us out during stressful times. It’s a kind of mind magic we call meditation, which can do wonders for both our heads and our bodies.
Here’s what meditation can do for you:
1. Busting Stress
We don’t often consider how powerful a negative force stress can be. Chronic stress can be quite nasty. It can mess up your sleep, trigger overeating, thin your hair, and even spark heart and digestive problems. Reducing stress, therefore, can be a big life-changer.
Meditation is like your body’s personal stress-buster. It dials down stress hormone cortisol levels which is guilty of causing problems like body inflammation. An interesting study found mindfulness meditation, the kind that brings you back to the present moment, can lower stress-related inflammation. If you’re feeling stressed, meditation might just be the cure you need.
2. Managing Pain
Chronic pain is a reality for over 50 million Americans. It makes ordinary chores an uphill struggle. More doctors are moving away from opiate-based painkillers because of addiction risks and looking for other pain management methods, such as meditation.
Evidence suggests meditation can help increase tolerance for short-term, intense pain. It also might give temporary relief to those with lower back pain. If you think meditation might help manage your pain, make sure to check with your doctor first.
3. Tackling Depression
Depression can steal the joy from life. Activities once enjoyed become burdensome and life can seem pointless.
The cool thing is, meditation has a smackdown move for stress and anxiety, which are common triggers of depression. Stress and anxiety stem from negative thoughts about oneself and bleak views of the future. Mindfulness meditation helps disrupt these thoughts, guiding your brain back to the current moment.
4. Cutting Down Blood Pressure
The number one cause behind early death worldwide is heart disease. Heart health should be everyone’s priority.
Lowering your blood pressure is a great way to ensure your heart stays healthy. High blood pressure strains the heart and narrows arteries, setting us up for heart attacks or strokes. Meditation stands out here too – it helps reduce blood pressure. Both transcendental and mindfulness meditation help the brain relax, and during this chill time, blood pressure drops. A widened artery and reduced inflammation are bonus payoffs.
Keen to try meditation? There’s a wealth of online videos out there to teach you how. Time to start embracing the present!
Categories: General
Tags: Benefits, Meditation, Mental, Physical Health
