THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION

Experience emotional, physical and cognitive changes for the better!

Meditation is important and will improve many areas of your life. It has many benefits and can be done by anyone. No special equipment is required and it doesn't cost anything to practice. It doesn't take much time, even a few minutes a day could result in improvement to your life. Meditation can also be practiced anywhere. Meditation provides benefits to emotional well-being, physical well-being, and cognition and performance.

Emotional Well-Being Benefits of Meditation

Meditation can be used to regulate one's mood. Meditation helps with stress relief and relaxation and brings a sense of calm, peace, and balance. When you meditate, you are training your mind to remain calm in stressful situations. Meditation also reduces negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. Studies at the University of Wisconsin found that the part of the brain that regulates stress and anxiety shrinks when meditation is practiced consistently.

Meditation increases positive emotions, leading to increased happiness. In a group of studies, a group of Buddhist monks had their brains monitored while they were meditating. These studies found that the pre-frontal cortex of the monks' brains (the part of the brain associated with happiness) was extra active. Meditation has been linked to increased positive feelings and actions toward self and others and as a result, to increased kindness. Therefore, meditation strengthens overall emotional health.

Physical Well-Being Benefits of Meditation

Meditation has been linked to lower resting heart rate and blood pressure. It can also improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia. A study conducted by JAMA Internal Medicine studied the effect of meditation on sleep. Participants in the study were split into two groups. One group completed a sleep education class while the other group was taught how to practice meditation. At the end of 6 weeks, the meditation group reported less insomnia, fatigue, and depression than those in the sleep education group.

Meditation can be used by people with chronic pain to reduce their pain symptoms. Meditation can also be used by people with addictions to help manage their addictions. Meditation results in mindfulness, which is key to breaking bad habits and replacing them with good habits. Another physical benefit of meditation is a strengthened immune system.

Cognition and Performance-Related Benefits of Meditation

People who practice meditation find many aspects of their lives enhanced. One study asked participants in an experimental group to listen to a meditation tape while completing a task and those participants completed the task with improved attention and accuracy, compared to the control group participants, who did not listen to the meditation tape. This is just one of several studies that show the effect of meditation on areas of cognition and performance. People who practice meditation find that they have increased self-control, patience, attention span, self-awareness, memory, creativity, imagination, and mental quickness.

Beginning Meditation

There are many different ways in which to practice meditation, including but not limited to deep breathing, yoga, guided meditation, visualization meditation, and Tai Chi. I encourage you to try different styles of meditation to find a style that works for you and to enjoy the many benefits meditation will bring to your life.

References

Link, R. & Thorpe, M. (2020, October 27). 12 science-based benefits of meditation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, April 29). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

Mejia, Zameena. (2022, February 23). 10 science-backed benefits of meditation. Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/benefits-of-meditation/

Mindworks Team. (n.d.). Why is meditation important? 6 facts you need to know. Mindworks. https://mindworks.org/blog/why-is-meditation-important-facts-you-need- to-know/