Sometimes, the beginning of a new year or a new semester at school or a new season prompts a flurry of new goals — and oftentimes “start meditating” is listed near the top of the list, according to mindbodygreen.com.
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While many people share their intention or wish to start a routine of meditation, it often does not happen. But, for the sake of your mind, body and soul well-being, you should make it happen.
Your body and mind are intricately connected — what you think directly affects your health. Along with other healthy habits like exercising, eating nutritious food and getting enough sleep, meditation offers many health benefits.
The goal of meditating is to continually draw your attention to your breath to the exclusion of everything else. Whenever your mind wanders, you seek to gently bring it back to your breath.
Meditation is often practiced for relaxation alone, but it can also address anxiety, manage pain, prevent disease and relieve stress. In addition, it can reduce your risk for heart disease by lowering your blood pressure, cortisol and heart rate and optimizing LDL cholesterol.
There are specific types of meditation — for example, those focused on attention control and emotions — that are known to have positive effects on your brain.
Research has suggested that a persistent negative state of mind is a risk factor for heart disease while happiness, optimism and a positive attitude are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Meditation has been shown to ease depression and boost optimism and help regulate mood. Stress is also a well-known risk factor for heart disease, making meditation all the more important.
Here are 10 health benefits that can occur as a result of a regular practice of meditation and mindfulness:
- Improves sleep
- Helps fight addictions
- Boosts emotional health and well-being
- Encourages self-awareness
- Increases feelings of compassion and kindness
- Lengthens attention span
- Lessens anxiety and depression
- Manages pain
- Promotes concentration and memory
- Reduces stress
Meditation will offer more benefits if you remember to release any toxic emotions, concentrate and focus on loving relationships and laugh often.