7 Reasons Daily Meditation Heals The Mind & Body

This article is from our print magazine issued April 1st 2022. To order a copy of the magazine please do so here.

When you think about meditation, the first thing that comes to mind may be monks who meditate for hours upon hours. However, meditation does not have to be so time-consuming. Meditating for just 10 minutes per day can be beneficial to your mind and body, but the amount of time it takes to see results depends upon each individual. The point is, you can easily make meditation a part of your life. Once you read these seven benefits of daily meditation, you will want to get started immediately!

Reason #1 - Strengthens the Immune System

Studies suggest that meditation can boost the immune system, which will help fight toxic cells that can cause health problems. While meditation is not a quick fix, the calming effect can help improve immune health over time. Chronic stress can have a considerable impact on the immune system, and practicing meditation helps reduce stress.

Reason #2 - Alleviates Anxiety & Depression

During episodes of depression and anxiety, the medial prefrontal cortex of the brain and the amygdala over-activate. These parts of the brain are what cause the body to go into fight-or-flight mode and increase negative feelings and thoughts. Studies have shown that meditation causes a disruption in this cycle. This helps the individual focus on positive thoughts and feelings rather than being caught in a vicious cycle of negative thinking and self-sabotage.

Reason #3 - Improves Sleep

Negative thoughts and feelings can often disrupt sleep. Similar to how meditation can help alleviate anxiety and depression, it can also help improve sleep by helping control negative thoughts and feelings. Meditating prior to bedtime will help you relax, release tension, and improve sleep quality.

Reason #4 - Good for Heart Health

Meditation has been known to be beneficial for heart health, especially since it can decrease blood pressure. Having chronic high blood pressure can lead to a variety of health problems, including a narrowing of arteries, which often leads to heart attacks and strokes. Studies have also shown that meditation helps reduce heart rate.

Reason #5 - Helps Control Pain

The mind is powerful, and whether the pain is eliminated or not, meditation has been proven to help individuals cope better with pain. This is because meditation can decrease the brain’s perception of pain. Oftentimes, meditation is used in conjunction with pain medication to help with pain management. One thing is for certain, meditation can create resilience to pain.

Reason #6 - Boosts Brain Health

Meditation can actually create physical changes within the brain. This concept is known as neuroplasticity, which refers to the flexibility of the brain. How a person thinks and feels affects the brain and will eventually change the shape of the brain. In fact, studies have shown that it takes about eight weeks to change the shape of your brain and increase the gray matter volume. This is especially important because gray matter helps control movement, emotions, and memory– all of which are important to the quality of life.

Reason #7 - Reduces Stress

Stress can have a significant impact on overall health, especially if one is chronically stressed. It is associated with increased levels of cortisol and when cortisol levels are consistently high, it can lead to anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease, memory problems, and trouble sleeping, just to name a few. Meditation causes the body to relax, which is the opposite of what stress does to the body. This allows the body to heal and the individual to improve his or her mental state and increase positive thoughts.

Meditation has numerous benefits for both the mind and the body. The mind affects the body and the body affects the mind, so doing everything you can to improve your mental and physical health will have lasting results. Give meditation a try! Grow, live, and change the world. Keep growing and inspiring.