What Does Meditation Do: Understanding the Benefits Provided

Stress has become known as the silent killer. It’s not something you can see or touch. But its reach is vast and devastating. Stress can result in faster heart rate and breathing. It can also push your blood pressure up. It can also impact your sleep patterns and sex drive.

There’s a direct association between stress and the six top causes of death. A recent study showed that stress can cause sudden cardiac arrest and can push people to dubious coping mechanisms, like substance use. This could lead to early death.

You can’t cut stress out in your life, but you can take steps to reduce its impact. One of the best ways to do this is via meditation. This is a centuries-old practice of training your mind to focus on a single thing. Practitioners can redirect all their thoughts to that subject.

There are various types of meditation. For example, mindfulness meditation focuses on a person’s thoughts. The practitioner will focus on their breathing on an object. They do this while noting their feelings and body sensations.

What’s clear about meditative practices is they all revolve around the mind and body. Especially the integration of the two. The activity calms the mind. It also enhances one’s sense of well-being.

Meditation goes beyond calming your mind and making you aware of your feelings. So what does meditation do? Here’s an overview of what the practice can give you.

Helps You Cope with Stress

Millions of people use meditation to help control their stress levels. Countless studies have proven that meditating on a regular basis relieves stress. It improves an individual’s quality of life since the effects of stress are already lessened.

This is crucial as stress of any kind causes the cortisol levels in our bodies to go up. This stress hormone releases cytokines, which are inflammatory chemicals. Cytokines can disrupt sleep and promote anxiety. It also contributes to brain fog and fatigue.

Reduces Feelings of Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are two different things. But stressful situations can cause anxiety and vice versa. Meditation helps a person cope with anxiety. Being mindful of your breathing and your thoughts can go a long way. It helps you keep a handle on your negative emotions. Meditation also teaches you to react to anxiety in a positive way. Regardless if the feeling was because of a particular stressor.

Manages Memory Loss Due to Aging

There’s evidence linking meditation to the slowing down of age-related memory loss. Most meditation practices involve focusing on a specific aspect. This can be in the form of a mantra or mindful repetition of actions. Some people who meditate concentrate on an image in their minds.

The focus on mindfulness is integral to the practice. This helps boost one’s memory. It also helps maintain mental clarity. These can help fight off any memory loss caused by aging. Research showed people who meditate portray significant improvements in neuropsychological testing. What’s more, older people who meditate maintain excellent mental clarity.

Help Make Pain More Manageable

Many people believe pain is all in the mind. There’s some truth to that statement. How we regard pain is also connected to our minds. This can become elevated when you feel stressed.

Studies revealed meditation can help raise a person’s pain threshold. Some view it as the brain reducing the individual’s perception of pain. In short, meditation can teach you how to control pain. It doesn’t stop the pain. But you can cope with it better. You can even reduce its severity.

This benefits people who suffer from chronic pain. Their quality of life will improve. It also decreases symptoms of depression in people who are in pain.

Preserves Mental Health

Meditation can also do wonders for the state of your mental health. Many people have admitted to becoming more self-confident once they’ve started meditating. Their outlook on life also became positive. There are studies showing how regular meditation sessions lower symptoms of depression. It also lessened the negative thoughts the practitioner experiences. The end result is a more positive outlook in life.

Enjoy the Life You Have

Health is more than wealth. The Line Method can help push you down that path. We are movement instructors that will help restore your body. We do this using a holistic and sustainable approach to fitness. We’ll help you move well and feel amazing. Our clients receive personalized instruction. We also do in-studio private lessons. Call us at 202-318-8801. You can also message us at info@thelinemethod.com.