No doubt you’ve heard of the ancient practice or know someone who meditates.
The more you learn, the more you’ll want to do it. You don’t need any special tools or an entire room to devote to your practice.
All you need is an open mind and about 10-15 minutes of quiet time. When you meditate, you may have better health physically and boost your mental health.
Here are 8 science-proven benefits of meditation for you to consider.
1. Meditating every day helps control pain
If you battle chronic pain, you know how miserable it can make you feel. Meditation helps you release bothersome thoughts and focus on being present in the moment. Although the practice may not alleviate the pain, it can help you feel more relaxed and lower your pain sensitivity.
2. Lowers blood pressure
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is linked to several severe conditions like heart disease and strokes. The good news is that not only can meditating lower your risks of cardiovascular disease, but it can reduce stress. You can also see lower blood pressure readings as you decrease your stress levels. Sitting quietly in a meditative state calms your mind and body, thus lowering your pulse.
3. Lengthens attention span
Multitasking is the buzzword for this modern world. It’s a skill that almost everyone wants to highlight on their resumes. While you may do more work for a while, you may notice a shorter attention span in the long run. Meditating every day helps you learn to focus and release wandering thoughts. According to a study published by Frontiers in Psychology, the practice may improve your attention span.
4. Meditating every day helps to improve sleep quality
If you toss and turn at night, you needn’t stay awake and watch the clock. Consider meditating instead of counting sheep. It will allow your mind to relax so you can get back to dreamland. After practicing for a while, you may notice that you have more energy in the day. It’s probably because you sleep better, and meditating can increase your endorphin production. Endorphins increase the blood flow to your brain, so you get an energy and mood boost.
5. Reduce age-related memory loss
As you get older, it’s common to become a little forgetful on occasion. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll develop Alzheimer’s or dementia in later years. However, age-related memory loss can be frustrating when it disrupts your daily routines. Meditating and listening to music may help reverse early memory loss in adults. No wonder why so many people often pair their practice with soothing music.
6. Meditating every day enhances self-awareness
As you age, you’re constantly discovering more about who you are as a person. One of the most rewarding benefits of meditating is boosting your self-awareness. You become more mindful of each breath and realize that you’re more than just your thoughts. Meditating daily helps you appreciate life more by enjoying each moment.
7. Reduces depression & anxiety
Have you been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, depression, or both? You may wonder how to get through these horrible conditions. Dwelling in the past can lead to depression, and if you’re chronically worrying about the future, it can cause anxiety. Meditating encourages you to live fully in the present, and it helps to reduce these disorders.
8. May help you overcome addiction
Anything that controls you to the point of affecting your life is an addiction. Fortunately, there’s help to kick the habit, no matter what it is. One of the benefits of meditating is to help recover from addiction. An article published by Psychology Today says it can help identify emotional attachments and help people release them.
