4 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Meditation

If you’re living a well lived lifestyle, you know meditation is a highly-talked about way to improve your mental and physical well-being! If you’ve been paying attention to my TikTok vids, you also know it’s extremely helpful ffor manifestation! But, did you know the benefits of meditation are backed by science? Physicians and researchers around the world are taking notice.   Meditation is about taking time out of your day to breathe, reflect and cultivate some stillness into your life. Our minds think over 6,000 thoughts a day… sometimes even more! Thankfully, we can slow that down through meditation.

Numerous studies have proven the benefits of regular meditation. In fact, million of people have started meditating daily.  According to the CDC study, 14% of Americans meditate, and more importantly, this number is forecasted to exceed 60 million by 2021.

Meditation has become a daily routine of training the mind and calming the nervous system. With COVID-19, and all the stress and unsettled energy in the world today, we can all benefit from mindfulness.  If you're not convinced, let’s dig further and uncover 4-Scientifically Proven Benefits of Meditation.

1-Meditation reduces stress, depression, and anxiety 

Nothing kills our well-being quite like stress can!  Many of us have been stressed for so long, we may not even recognize it anymore.

According to several studies, including the 2013 Massachusetts General Hospital study, meditation was proven to be an effective strategy to reduce stress and anxiety. Therefore, if you suffer from depression or anxiety, incorporating meditation into your routine can provide symptom relief.

2-Meditation improves self-control, focus, and attention span.

Our attention spans have declined rapidly over the years. Is technology to blame? Most likely! We are used to quick texts, tweets, and instant gratification thanks to our precious smartphones! But meditation can help, and research has shown their are numerous cognitive benefits of meditation. Benefits include more self-control and willpower, enhanced attention span, and improved self-awareness.

When we meditate, we gain complete control of our mind, if even just for a moment. The more you meditate, the easier it becomes. Consistency is key.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Harvard Medical School, have shown that incorporating 5 minutes of meditation per day, can increase prefrontal activity.

3-Meditation prevents heart disease

Ever heard of the “fight or flight” response? When we are under stress, our nervous system responds. We enter ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing an abundance of stress hormones and the health effects can be damaging. Specifically, prolonged stress can result in kidney damage, heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Did you know more than $200 billion is spent on heart disease patients in the U.S. each year?  Stress is far too common, and it’s time to do something about it!

Meditation reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, reduces blood pressure, decreases inflammatory disorders, and plays a crucially important role in physical health management.

Studies show meditation exceeds in benefits to medication. In late 2012, a group of 200-patients under risk of heart disease were asked to either rely on meditation or medicines. Those who meditated saw a whopping 48% improvement! Meditation activates our bodies “rest-and-digest” function, giving our organs the necessary time to repair. This may lower heart rate, blood pressure, and risk of heart-disease.

4-Meditation can improve your immune system

In the height of COVID-19, we are all a tad worried about our immune systems. Did you know meditation can improve your immune function?  A study was conducted recently by a team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai. Half of the women in the study, participated in a 6-day vacation “retreat”. The other half completed a 6-day meditation retreat. There was a 3^rd group of experienced meditators who were also studied by the researchers.  The study revealed interesting changes in the genes. Specifically, the groups showed a shift in the expression of genes related to stress, inflammation, and wound healing. Additionally, the experienced meditators had a greater ability to fight off viral infections. 

This is not the only study, in fact, there are numerous research studies that link meditation with an improved immune response.

Meditation can change your life. It’s an ancient practice that has stood the test of time. I highly encourage you to read the history of meditation and learn about the cultures that have been using this practice for thousands of years. Knowing the history is incredibly important, and a key component of any spiritual practice.  Science has proven the health benefits of meditation, and you will actually feel it.

If you’re not ready to commit to a regular meditation practice, yoga is a great way to start...check out my post on why savasana is the yoga pose you need most, here.