6 Surprising Benefits of Meditation

For decades, students of meditation have touted its many emotional and spiritual benefits, including relaxation, improved focus, and creating a sense of inner peace and calm. However, there may be even more benefits of meditation than we previously thought, and it could more positively impact our physical as well as emotional wellness more than we ever imagined.

Here are a few lesser-known positive side effects of practicing meditation on a regular basis.

Stress Reduction

Practitioners of meditation are able to shut out the noise of the everyday stress of life and channel their focus on the peace and silence within. By training themselves to be mindful and block out the outside agitators, people who meditate regularly feel less stressed out and produce significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to a study published in the journal Health Psychology.

Brain Protection

A meditation technique known as integrative body-mind training may result in changes to the brain that can protect against degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, according to researchers at the University of Oregon. Increased signaling connections in the brain, known as axonal density, as well as increased myelin, which is the brain’s protective tissue, seem to be linked to the meditation practice.

Mood Enhancement

Mindfulness meditation has been suggested to help decrease symptoms of depression and fatigue in sufferers of multiple sclerosis by approximately 30 percent, according to a study found in the journal Neurology. Moreover, researchers in Wisconsin have noted more electrical activity in the pre-frontal cortex, which is an area of the brain associated with happiness and elevated mood, in the brains of people who meditate.

Pain Management

Practicing meditation helps people to block out all types of outside distractions, even pain. In fact, a specific form called Zen meditation, forces a person to tune out distractions and focus singularly on deep breathing and peace, which can help mitigate symptoms of pain in sufferers of a variety of physical ailments including fibromyalgia, arthritis, premenstrual syndrome and even cancer.

Improved Sleep

Those who practice meditation in their waking hours may experience deeper, more restorative sleep. This may be due in part to the emotion and mood control practiced in mindfulness meditation, which leads to better anger and stress management. The absence of high levels of tension coupled with lower levels of activity at bedtime can lead to improved sleep quality and less erratic sleep cycles.

Menopause Relief

Women going through menopause may find natural relief from symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety by practicing mindfulness meditation. By turning their focus inward and allowing themselves to become introspective about the changes within their bodies, menopausal women have reported lower levels of stress and overall relaxation.

Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to train your focus inward and promote mental, physical and spiritual wellness. Its myriad of benefits suggest that meditation can be helpful for virtually anyone who chooses to practice it. Taking 15 to 30 minutes out of your day to meditate has many advantages to your personal well-being. There are countless resources for those who wish to practice meditation including classes, books, instructional DVDs and YouTube tutorials. For the first step on your path to relaxation, inner peace and happiness, check out the various forms of meditation and choose one that is right for you.