Meditating has been a revered practice for thousands of years in the East. It’s only become popular in the West in the last few decades. Today, people all over the world are discovering the benefits of meditating.
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.
Ten Science-Proven Benefits of Meditating Every Day
While many religious traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism include meditating, the practice is more than just spiritual. When you meditate, you may have better health physically and boost your mental health. Here are ten 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.
An article published by the Cleveland Clinic suggests that meditating can stimulate your brain to produce endorphins. These chemicals are natural pain relievers that relax your muscles and joints. The result is that you may feel less pain.
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. A slower vibration can bring down your blood pressure. Sometimes, the sense of peace and relaxation is almost instantaneous.
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. You’ll be attentive to the task at hand and maybe more productive.
4. Meditating Every Day Helps to Improve Sleep Quality
Do you often feel like a zombie when you awaken in the morning? The swirling brain fog may not lift until late morning and a pot of coffee later. Maybe it’s because you’re not getting enough quality sleep.
Among the benefits of meditative practice is training your mind and body to relax. You can have a meditative session before you go to bed. You’ll be in a more relaxed state, and you’re more apt to get some revitalizing sleep.
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.
According to an article published by JPND Research, 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. The article also mentions that meditating may boost your cognitive skills.
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. You’re more aware of your thoughts and feel your emotions to the core. The practice enhances your connection with your higher self and those around you.
7. Reduces Depression & Anxiety
Anxiety and depression are some of the most common mental illnesses. Statistics published by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America say that at least 40 million Americans have an anxiety disorder. At least half of these people have also been diagnosed with depression. Anxiety can also be co-diagnosed with ADHD and eating disorders.
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. Meditating Every Day Can Boost Your Positive Energy
Think about an appliance you must plug into an electrical outlet. If you connect it to a faulty circuit, it will not work correctly. In fact, it could eventually short out and need a replacement.
Likewise, your energy depends on the polarity of your source. If you constantly surround yourself with negative people and situations, you’ll attract more of the same. This “faulty circuit” can keep you concealed in a shroud of negative energy.
Boosting your positive energy is another one of the benefits of meditating. You practice releasing negative thoughts and cultivating positive ones. It allows you to use the law of attraction and boost your positive energy.
9. May Help You Overcome Addiction
It’s easy for a non-addicted person to cast judgment on those addicted, but those who find themselves with this problem want better health. They glibly suggest that the person has no willpower and needs to stop the self-destructive behaviors. As any former addict will tell you, it’s not that simple.
It wasn’t until the last few decades that addictions such as alcoholism and drug addiction were classified as diseases. Addictions may come in substance abuse, such as alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. People can also be addicted to food, gambling, shopping, and even video gaming.
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.
Plus, meditating each day can help you cultivate compassion and forgiveness for others and yourself. It’s a step-in addiction recovery that many find the most difficult. The 12-step program motto of living for today resonates with the principles of meditating.
10. Meditating Every Day Increases Resilience
To better understand the concept of resilience, consider the Great Pyramids of Egypt. For thousands of years, they have survived intense heat and drought. They’ve been assaulted by savage sandstorms and endured countless looters and centuries of vandalization.
Yet, they stand as a testament to the resilience of Egyptian history and ingenuity. A person isn’t resilient because they’ve never experienced pain and loss. Instead, they use these hurts as a tool to build resilience and continue their zeal for life.
Benefits of meditating include learning how to be more resilient. The practice doesn’t change a painful situation, but it may help you feel differently about it. You bolster strength and courage that you never realized you had.
Will it turn your heart to rubber, and everything will bounce off it? No, but better equip your psyche to deal with life’s problems. You’ll get a better sense of the “big picture” and how this situation fits into your destiny.
Creating Sacred Space to Meditate and Reflect
Start enjoying the benefits of meditating by finding a quiet spot in your home. It can be a spare room or even a corner in your bedroom. Feel free to play soft music or light candles and incense in your sacred space.
Try to spend at least fifteen to twenty minutes a day meditating in your space. Gradually, you’ll get used to releasing invasive thoughts and focusing on the moment. You may keep a journal to help you along the way in your practice.
Final Thoughts on Science-Proven Benefits of Meditating Every Day
You needn’t devote hours of sitting to reap the benefits of meditating. Be patient and compassionate as you develop your mindfulness skills. Soon, you may be noticing a positive change in your attitude and general well-being, as well as your mental health.
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