Meditating: all the benefits for your body and mind

Meditation is an ancient practice practiced all over the world. For many people, the purpose of meditating is to unwind. Which is nice, since we live in a hectic world full of stimuli. Those unfamiliar with meditation may have doubts about its efficacy. Also, meditation has the unjustified stigma of being woolly. Fortunately, we can dispel those doubts. Because meditation is proven to be healthy for your body and mind, in many ways. Read here what benefits meditation can have for you!

Meditation aims to shift your attention away from a busy brain full of thoughts or negative emotions. By meditating, you make yourself mentally clear and emotionally stable. This is something that many cultures have long understood. You see the concept in religions as well, such as during prayer or religious services. And what about Buddhist monks? They do this quite a lot.

The great thing is that you can also very easily practice this practice on your own. You can approach meditation in many ways:

Guided meditation

For example, you have practical guided forms of meditation, such as during a yoga class or courtesy of a YouTube video. Chanting mantras in a group is also a form of meditation.

Breathing exercises

You can also think of breathing exercises as meditation; here your attention is completely on your calm breathing. In this way you kill two birds with one stone. First, you calm your nervous system with slower and deeper breathing. Second, you bring your thoughts completely to your breathing. By following and directing your breathing through your thoughts, you don’t think about anything else for a while. You probably discover during such an exercise that you were actually breathing far too shallowly, something that can contribute to feelings of stress.

Much scientific research has focused on the benefits of meditation. Here are some of the key findings:

Less stress, anxiety and depression by meditating

A widely cited 2014 meta-analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine (Goyal et al., 2014) examined the effects of meditation on mental health. The study analyzed 47 randomized controlled trials with a total of 3,515 participants and concluded that mindfulness meditation provides moderate improvements in anxiety, depression and stress-related symptoms.

Key findings:

• Meditation (especially mindfulness-based techniques) had a modest but significant effect on anxiety and depression.
• The benefits of meditation were similar to the effects of antidepressants, albeit without the side effects.
• The effects were most apparent with prolonged practice (8 weeks or longer).

Source:

Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M., Gould, N. F., Rowland-Seymour, A., Sharma, R., & Haythornthwaite, J. A. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357-368. DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018

Anxiety symptoms and depression occur in many people. Often people with these symptoms seek relief through medication or unhealthy forms of sedation. Meditation can be a healthy alternative. Multiple studies show that meditation reduces anxiety symptoms. The effects are strongest in people with the most severe symptoms.

Meditating promotes sleep

Do you often lie awake with a head full of thoughts? Meditation can help! People who meditate sleep longer and lie awake less. This is probably because meditation calms both the mind and the body. You relax your muscles, improve your breathing and shift your thoughts.

Tip: Put on a guided sleep meditation via Spotify or YouTube. Yoga Nidra is also suitable for this.

Rather for yourself and for others

People who meditate look rather and more positively towards themselves as well as others. It makes you a nicer and more empathetic person. It also boosts your self-image. Tip: look for ‘Metta meditation’. This form is specifically aimed at compassion and self-love. Another benefit is that meditating can make people feel less lonely.

A better focus

Concentration problems are common. Meditating briefly before starting a task can help. It can not only improve focus but also reduce errors.

Other benefits of meditation

• Reduction of pain, especially in people with chronic pain conditions.
• Lowering blood pressure.
• Can reduce cravings for food or drugs, helping with addiction.

Now you must be wondering: how much do you need to meditate before it “works”? It depends on your goal. For better concentration and memory fifteen minutes a day can have an effect after only two months. For less stress or better sleep, one session can already help.

Disclaimer:
This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Although scientific studies are cited, the effects of meditation may vary from person to person. Always consult a physician or qualified health care provider in case of health complaints or before making any changes to your mental or physical health routine. The author and publisher of this blog are not responsible for any consequences of following the information in this article.