As our life continues to be fast-paced and filled with electronic beeps and notifications, the research on meditation and mindfulness is growing.
It is well documented that taking some time out and doing some regular meditation can bring inner peace and many other health and wellbeing benefits.
The benefits of regular meditation
Regular meditation can help us find a deeper level of relaxation and can help regulate our breathing. It can release muscle tension, reduce headaches and lower our blood pressure.
Meditation has also been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and can help us get a good night’s sleep.
Meditation may also protect the brain from aging. Regular meditators were found to have more grey matter throughout the brain than non-meditators. Grey matter is important for attention, with meditators found to be less distracted.1
Meditation also helps with mood regulation. Meditators can manage their thoughts and emotions much more effectively than those who don’t meditate.1
When we practise meditation, our minds wander less. Through regular practice, we can improve our attention, focus and memory.
What meditation practice should you follow?
There are a range of meditation practices from breathing to visualisation, muscle relaxation to chanting mantras, mindfulness, spiritual meditation (involving prayer), and meditations that contain movement (such as yoga and tai chi, and even swimming’s repetitive movement can be meditative).
Some meditation practices also focus on specific goals such as releasing emotions, cultivating more love, easing anxiety, and balancing the chakras.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. The ultimate result is that you are sitting still and allowing life to be. Meditation helps bring your focus back to the present moment. It helps you settle your mind, and helps you find peace with yourself and the world around you. You may also experience the many other benefits that meditation brings as highlighted above.
Until next time, wishing you all great health and wellbeing, and a little mindfulness today…
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Reference:
1. Luders E, Cherbuin N & Kurth I (2015). Forever Young(er): potential age-defying effects of long-term meditation on gray matter atrophy. Frontiers in Psychology.
