Taking care of your mental and physical health has never been more important. That’s a big reason why meditation has boomed in popularity in recent years. People around the world are beginning to discover the many physical and mental benefits of meditation. In this article, we will go over some of the many benefits of meditation and how it can help improve your health.
Reduced Stress
One of the main reasons people try meditation in the first place is to reduce stress. Researchers believe that meditation can reduce stress levels by managing cortisol levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone, and the higher the cortisol in your body, the more mental and physical stress you deal with.
High-stress levels can disrupt your sleep pattern, lead to depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure, and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking. Research shows that meditation can improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fibromyalgia.
Improved Emotional Health
One of the significant benefits of meditation is that it can improve your self-image and lead to a more positive outlook on life. A recent review of 18 studies found that people receiving meditation therapies experience reduced symptoms of depression compared to those who don’t practice meditation.
Further research found that those who meditate experience fewer negative thoughts in response to viewing negative images. It can also decrease the levels of the inflammatory chemical cytokine. Cytokines are released by the body in response to stress and can affect mood, leading to depression.
Longer Attention Span
One of the many forms of meditation is known as focused-attention meditation. This is akin to doing weight training for your attention span. Focused-attention meditation can help increase the strength and endurance of your attention. One study found that those who listened to a meditation tape experienced improved attention and accuracy while completing a task.
Another study found that those who regularly practice focused-attention meditation performed better on a visual task and displayed a greater attention span than those who didn’t meditate. Even if you meditate for a short period of time, you can experience the benefits of a longer attention span.
Improve Sleep
When it comes to your health and overall wellbeing, the importance of sleep can’t be overstated. If you want to take your health seriously, you need to improve your sleep schedule. One of the ways you can do this is by meditating. One study found that meditation programs can help people sleep longer and can improve insomnia severity.
Practicing meditation can help you control racing thoughts late at night that are responsible for keeping people up. It can also help you relax your body, releasing tension and placing your body in a peaceful state, making it easier to fall asleep. Meditation can help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.
Need More Information
Are you looking for more information regarding the benefits of meditation? If so, our team here at Meditationly is here to help. Reach out to us if you have any questions about the benefits of meditation.