Almost every spiritual belief system in the world has some form of meditation
as part of its discipline. While it may take many forms, meditation at
its most essential is time taken to clear the mind’s worries and
focus deeply on a single calming thought, idea, mantra, or sound. It is
usually supplemented with clear and slow breathing, or even a specific
posture, like in yoga.
Meditation, once an exclusively religious discipline, has become a way
for any person to enhance their life through habitual and consistent practice.
Silicon Valley, for example, has become a place where meditative practice
is as important to the daily agenda as taking calls or scheduling meetings.
Below, we’ve listed 7 reasons why you might want to join millions
of others in making meditation part of your routine.
1.)Meditation Reduces Depression & Anxiety
An article published in
Cognitive Therapy and Research concluded that meditation over the course of 8 weeks improved the cognitive
state of those with mood disorders, specifically depression and anxiety.
According to the article, it reduced “ruminative thinking,”
which leads to the negative emotional effects of depression.
2.)Meditation Increases Empathy & Social Connection
In an article published by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
scientists found that meditation regularly led to daily increases of positive
emotion, which led to deeper personal resources of social support. Essentially,
meditation allowed people to become better parts of their community.
3.)Meditation Increases Immune Function
Multiple studies indicate that meditation increases the body’s antibody
response to disease. One study found that those who meditate were able
to produce significantly higher amounts of antibodies to influenza than
those who do not.
4.)Meditation Allows You to Constructively Control Your Emotions
A study from the Stanford School of Medicine’s Center for Compassion
and Altruism Research found that meditation boosted people’s ability
to regulate their emotional response. As a result, they were able to express
emotions constructively rather than suppressing them or expressing them
in unhealthy ways.
5.)Meditation Boosts Your Ability to Focus
An article published by the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing
Systems tested the effect of meditation on multitasking on a computer.
While multitasking was not significantly different, people who meditate
were more likely to focus better and remember what they did.
6.)Meditation Decreases Stress
Many studies have found that the body’s response to perceived threats
can change through consistent meditation. Stress is combated by the body’s
“relaxation response,” sometimes called the “rest and
digest” response. Meditation boosts the body’s ability to
mentally recover and relax, alleviating the effects of prolonged stress.
7.)Meditation Increases Overall Satisfaction with Life
Both practitioners and researchers agree that, regardless of the cause,
meditation helps people feel and think more positively about their lives.
There are no recorded negative effects of meditation—however, the
positive effects are well-documented. Consider integrating meditation
into your daily routine to improve your mental, emotional, and physical health.
This article contains general information about medical conditions and
treatments. The information is not advice and should not be treated as
such. The information is not intended to replace the advice or diagnosis
of a physician.
If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should
consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.