The benefits of meditation

It is well known and proven that meditation contributes to better physical and mental health, but exactly how?

Derived from the Latin word "meditare," which means "to contemplate," meditation is a practice for training the mind that aims to free oneself from certain negative or intrusive thoughts. The goal is to regain control over one's thoughts.

Types of meditation

There are different types of meditation—here are three of them!

Mindfulness meditation

This practice involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. For this exercise, you should focus on your breathing and then step back into the role of an outside observer. You observe your breathing, your thoughts as they arise and fade away, your emotions, and your physical sensations, without actively participating in them.

 

Transcendental Meditation

This type of meditation involves repeating a mantra in order to achieve a state of calm and mental relaxation. The practice is done while sitting with your eyes closed, in silence, for about twenty minutes. 

 

Zazen Meditation

If I say "meditation," you probably picture someone sitting cross-legged. Well, that's exactly the kind of meditation you're thinking of!

This meditation technique requires participants to sit in the lotus (or half-lotus) position while keeping their eyes open and their head upright. You should relax your face, breathe through your nose, and focus on your breathing.

 

 

The benefits of meditation

Stress reduction 

Stress is one of the main reasons people turn to meditation.

In fact, physical and mental stress increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone in our bodies.

In response to this sharp rise in cortisol, the body releases a chemical compound called a cytokine.

Elevated levels of this cytokine can cause damage, thereby reducing sleep quality, contributing to anxiety and depression, and increasing blood pressure, fatigue, and rumination.

In an 8-week study of participants who practiced a form of meditation known as “mindfulness,” it was shown that the body’s inflammatory response to stress was reduced over the long term.

 

Managing Anxiety

The calming effect of meditation on all participants suffering from anxiety has been demonstrated time and again, particularly in those with a more severe form of the condition.

 

In addition, meditating for 8 minutes helps people with generalized anxiety disorder reduce their symptoms, improve their self-esteem and stress resilience, and better cope with stress in the future.

Combining sports and mediation could help achieve these results more quickly.

 

Improving emotional well-being

Mindfulness meditation helps improve self-esteem and promotes a deep sense of relaxation and calm over the long term.In addition, it is believed to help reduce feelings of loneliness and encourage individuals to increase their social interactions. Studies have also shown that this spiritual practice improvesproblem-solving skills and creativity.

 

Improving self-awareness

Meditation is said to help develop a better understanding of oneself, enabling us to reflect on ourselves objectively, recognize our negative and destructive thoughts, and transform those thoughts into more constructive ones. But it also helps help us adopt a neutral perspective on the events around us, without jumping to conclusions.

 

Improved concentration 

Meditating regularly can improve your ability to concentrate over the long term and may even help break the cycle of rumination, worry, and distraction.

 

Reduce cellular aging

A California study has shown that practicing meditation for at least two hours a day for a minimum of 20 years enhances the activity of enzymes that play a key role in protecting against cellular aging. It also reduces chronic joint pain.

With all the benefits meditation has to offer, there’s no excuse not to get started!

 

On your marks!