Effects and Benefits of Meditation

Effects and Benefits of Meditation

Once Western scientists first began studying the personal effects of speculation in the 1970s, they noticed that heart rate, perspiration, and other signs of emphasis decreased as the meditator relaxed. Scientists, like Richard Davidson, PhD (University of Badger State), have been researching the long-term of meditation. In 1992, Davidson received an invitation from the 14th Dalai Lama to come to northern Republic of India and sketch the brains of Buddhistic monks, the foremost meditators in the world. Davidson traveled to Bharat with laptop computers, generators, and EEG recording equipment, thus initiating an ongoing work. Now, monks travel to his WI lab wherever they chew over while in a magnetic imaging machine or they watch disturbing visual images as EEGs record their responses to understand how they regulate aroused reactions.

Any activeness will create new pathways and strengthen certain areas of the mind. "This fits into the whole neuroscience literature of expertise," says Stephen Kosslyn, a Harvard neuroscientist, in a New York Times article (14 September 2003), " taxi drivers deliberate for their spatial memory and concert musicians for their sense of pitch. If you do something, anything, even play Ping-Pong, for 20 years, eight hours a Day, there's going to be something in your head that's different from someone WHO didn't do that. It's just got to be." monks' pattern three forms of:

1. Focused attention on a single object for long time periods

2. Cultivating pity by thinking about anger causing situations and transforming the negative emotion into compassionateness.

3. Open presence,' "a Department of State of being acutely aware of whatever thought, emotion or sensation is present without reacting to it." Knowing the that has on the monks' brains, Davidson decided to realize what effect has on neophytes. He set up a cogitation with 41 employees at a nearby biotech company in Wisconsin River (Psychosomatic Medicine 65: 564-570, 2003). Twenty-five of the participants enlightened 'mindfulness,' a accent-reducing form that promotes nonjudgmental awareness of the present and is taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

They know the praxis during a 7-hr retreat and weekly classes. During that 8-calendar week period, these participants were asked to think over for I 60 minutes each Clarence Day, six days a hebdomad. Brain measurements were taken before instruction, at the remainder of the eight weeks, and four months later. Measurements showed that increased bodily process in the left field frontal region of the nous, "an area linked to reduced anxiety and a positive excited State Department." Also, at the remnant of the 8 weeks, the participants and 16 controls did not ponder received flu shots to test immune responses. researchers took blood samples from them ace month and two months after the injections, they found that the meditators had More antibodies against the flu virus than the non-meditators.

· “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” -Anonymous

Benefits of Meditation

Lowers stress. Perhaps the most common reason why people practice meditation is to lower the level of stress. There are ample studies showing that regular practice of meditation can relieve stress and improve the quality of life. Stress, whether caused by mental or physical reasons, if not managed, can be physically harmful as it is associated with the release of many inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. These can lead to high blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, depression, loss of concentration, and fatigue. However, research shows that some of the benefits of meditation include stress relief and improvement of the symptoms of other stress-related disorders.

Reduces anxiety. As we know, anxiety and stress are not the same thing. Meditation allows one to cope and react positively to anxiety, whether it is brought on by specific stressors. To attain the anxiety-relieving benefits, one must practice meditation regularly.

Enhances mental health. Some types of meditation can lead to improved self-confidence and a positive outlook on life. Studies show that regular meditation can lower the symptoms of depression, reduce the frequency of negative thoughts, and generate more positivity in life.

Improve self-awareness. Meditation is one of the best ways to improve self-awareness. Regular meditation helps you develop a better understanding of yourself. At the end of the day, meditation reduces the feeling of loneliness and brings contentment.

Increases concentration and attention span. Regular meditation is known to increase focus and the duration of the attention span. People who practice meditation generally tend to be more focused and accurate when completing a task. The enhanced attention and memory can be derived even after practicing meditation for just 13 minutes a day for 8 weeks.

Reduce memory loss. More evidence suggests that meditation can also help prevent age-related memory loss. Studies show that meditating individuals tend to have improved performance on neuropsychological testing. Further, despite advanced age, these individuals have excellent mental clarity and are more lucid and functional.

Generates empathy and kindness. In general, it has been observed that people who practice meditation tend to have more empathy and kindness towards others. These individuals tend to impart positive feelings to others, are quick to forgive, and move on with life. Overall, meditation tends to improve interpersonal interactions and exudes positivity.

Improves sleep. Another benefit of regular meditation is that it improves sleep. If you struggle with sleep, then meditation can help you achieve deep sleep faster and stay asleep longer. In addition, the sleep is peaceful and devoid of runaway thoughts. Plus, meditation is known to relax the body, ease tension in the muscles, and induce a peaceful state, all factors that are necessary for good quality sleep.

Lower pain. The perception of pain is closely linked to the mind and can be elevated when you are under stress. Research shows that meditation can help increase the pain threshold and/or reduce the perception of pain in the brain. In the long run, this also leads to an improved quality of life and a better mood.

Lower blood pressure. Meditation is known to lower blood pressure by easing stress and reducing strain on the heart. Countless studies have shown that regular meditation can slightly lower blood pressure or reduce the need for blood pressure medications. By lowering blood pressure, you also reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke.