Have you ever been stressed out and wondered if you should try meditating, but then laughed off the idea? Meditation delivers excellent health benefits at a bargain price; it’s free. Take into consideration these scientifically proven health benefits.
Meditation is an excellent stress-buster. If you're a typical American, you probably live a stressful life and pack too much into your schedule. Even a short stint of meditation--such as fifteen minutes a day--will reduce your body's production of cordisol. What’s cortisol? It’s a hormone your body produces when stressed as part of your fight or flight response, and it can wreak havoc on your nerves and immune system if produced in high levels.
Meditation improves overall heart health. When you practice meditation, your blood pressure naturally lowers and your heart rates slows. It is also believed to bolster your body’s ability to heal, which is why the Mayo Clinic recommended daily meditation for its cancer patients and provides classes on how to meditate.
Meditation sharpens the mind and makes you feel good. When scientists studied monks that had kept up meditation practices for years, they found their brains were much more active than a typical person's brain. The monks also had larger hippocampuses, the piece of your brain that makes you feel good. People who meditate regularly report being able to focus longer and perform mental tasks more efficiently.
What is a good way to start meditating? Commit a time frame, like fifteen minutes every day, to your practice. Find a comfortable place to sit (where it is quiet), set a timer, and close your eyes. Choose one word; try to focus on this one word and nothing else. Your mind will wander, but keep reigning it in, releasing the distracting thoughts and focusing on that one word. Stay still and focus on that word until your alarm goes off. Increase your meditation commitment by small increments until you’ve established a meditation practice you find rewarding.
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