What Are the Benefits of Meditation?

Meditation is often recommended for those suffering from physical or mental ailments. But it can benefit anyone, regardless of health. There are different types of meditation, so finding a strategy that works for you is critical to reap the full benefits of meditation. After meditating, you should feel calm, centered and relaxed. You should feel rested and ready to move on with your daily activities. Whether you suffer from high blood pressure, respiratory issues, physical pain, or simply mental stress and fatigue, meditation can help improve your quality of life.

Types

The most common form of meditation is simply conscious breathing, in which both thought and attention are focused on deep, relaxed breathing patterns. Empty mind meditation strives to clear the mind of all thought. Walking and moving meditations work better for some individuals, placing the focus on the action. Practitioners of mindfulness meditations strive to be fully and consciously aware of their surroundings, thoughts and feelings. Mantra meditations place the focus on a single word or phrase. Finally, conceptual meditation focuses on a specific concept.

Cardiac and Respiratory Benefits

Meditation offers a number of benefits for the cardiac and respiratory systems. Meditating improves blood flow through the body and lowers blood pressure. Oxygen consumption is lowered during meditation, and the respiratory rate decreases. Meditation may improve exercise tolerance and overall well-being for heart patients.

Immune and General Health Benefits

Meditation improves immune health by lowering stress. Individuals suffering from chronic illnesses, including arthritis, allergies and asthma, may find that meditating regularly can improve their daily quality of life. Virus activity is reduced and immune cell activity increased with frequent meditation.

Psychological Benefits

Brain scans have shown that meditation shifts brain activity to a calmer portion of the brain, moving activity from the right frontal cortex to the left frontal cortex. This results in reduced stress, anxiety and depression. It also increases the brain’s production of serotonin, a biochemical that enhances alertness and improves mood.

Mental Benefits

Meditation can improve the mind, increasing focus and long-term vitality. Memory and concentration will be improved, as well as problem-solving skills. Anger management, emotional control and creativity may also improve with regular meditation.