Various studies have shown the positive effects of regular meditation.
These can include reducing stress, improving concentration, lowering blood pressure, and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
And while there are different types of meditation, they all can offer the same set of proven benefits for mental and physical health. This is what the study showed.
1. Better attention and concentration
Mindfulness meditation helps you focus on the present, which can improve your ability to focus on other activities of the day.
A 2011 study at Harvard Medical School examined the effects of mindfulness meditation on the brain and found a link between mindfulness and processing new information.
The researchers examined the brains of 17 people before and after an eight-week meditation program. Brain scans have shown an increase in gray matter in the parts of the brain involved in learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
In addition, a 2016 study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University showed how mindfulness meditation can improve concentration and decision making.
The study included 35 unemployed adults looking for work. One group participated in a three-day relaxation program without elements of mindfulness meditation, and the other group participated in a three-day mindfulness meditation. Brain scans before and after showed a large relationship between the parts of the brain that control attention in the meditation group.
“Research shows that we can indeed train our attention and metacognition, and that this is a skill that can be learned,” said Dr. Richard Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
2. Increased self-esteem and self-awareness
Mindfulness meditation encourages you to slow down, allows you to think more deeply about yourself, and can help you open up your positive self.
“Mindfulness helps increase self-awareness by increasing the ability to explore someone’s thoughts and feelings without judgment, which ultimately improves self-esteem,” says the doctor. Brian Wind, Journey Pure Clinical Director.
According to researchers at Stanford University, mindfulness meditation can especially help people with social anxiety. In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 14 participants with social phobia received a two-month meditation andreported decreased anxiety and improved self-esteem after completing the program.
3. Reduce stress
Mindfulness meditation can also lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, making you feel more relaxed.
In a 2013 review, researchers analyzed over 200 studies of mindfulness meditation in healthy people and found meditation to be an effective way to reduce stress.
Repetition of the mantra as a word or phrase during meditation can also have a calming effect, and by focusing on the mantra, you can distract yourself from distracting thoughts.
Transcendental Meditation has a similar effect when you quietly repeat a word or sound to stay focused, and as a result, you can achieve a state of complete calm and stability, says David Foley, founder of Unify Cosmos Meditation. center in Oklahoma.
For example, a 2019 study found a decrease in mental health problems among teachers and support staff who participated in a comprehensive reflection program.
The researchers used pre- and post-program stress scales to measure participants’ burnout, depression, and stress levels. After completing the seven-step course of Transcendental Meditation, the participants practiced the meditation twice daily for 15-20 minutes for four months and reported lower levels of stress and fatigue than before. Learn the techniques.
4. How to deal with anxiety or depression
Mindfulness meditation helps train your mind to focus on the present, decreasing the likelihood of disturbing thoughts that can cause depression.
An analysis of a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014 found that mindfulness meditation can help relieve anxiety and depression and can be part of a comprehensive mental health treatment plan.
Research has also confirmed the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a treatment program that includes mindfulness meditation. Studies have shown that MBSR can help people with anxiety calm their minds and reduce symptoms of depression, including sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and bad mood.
5. Fight addiction
According to Davidson, meditation can alter receptors in the brain that are linked to drug and alcohol dependence, which can reduce cravings for these substances. In addition, mindfulness meditation can increase your awareness of your wishes and help you deal with them better.
“This awareness is really powerful because it allows us to control our impulses or desires… without letting ourselves win,” explains Davidson. “We can see the impulse, see it’s there, but we can’t stop it.”
A 2018 study published in the journal Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation found that mindfulness training could help prevent future relapses in people with substance use disorders because it has therapeutic effects that help regulate brain function. experience pleasure.
6. Check for pain
Davidson said many doctors recommend mindfulness meditation as part of a comprehensive pain management plan.
For example, a study in 2020 with over 6,400 participants in 60 studies found that meditation can reduce pain in people with post-operative pain, acute or chronic.
It doesn’t solve all problems and the pain won’t necessarily go away, Davidson said. We can recognize that pain is present, but we have not pursued it in the same way, and it can be extremely useful in managing chronic pain.
7. Become kinder or loving
Reflecting on loving kindness can strengthen compassion for yourself and towards others. It strengthens brain circuits that arouse other emotions, promote altruistic behavior, and reduce hidden or unconscious prejudices responsible for perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
To begin to reflect on loving kindness, you can imagine a loved one and wish them happiness. Then you can pass on this love to yourself and to others in your life.
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