8 Proven Benefits of Meditation That Will Improve Your Life
From calming the mind to reducing stress and improving sleep, here are 8 proven benefits of meditation that will improve your life no matter how you practice it. Whether you’re trying to relieve stress, improve focus, lose weight, or add more balance to your life, meditating regularly can help you achieve these goals and more. Here are 8 proven benefits of meditation that will make your life better if you incorporate it into your daily routine!
1) Shifts your perspective
One of the most profound benefits of meditation is that it can shift your perspective. When you’re used to thinking about yourself in a certain way, it can be difficult to see things from another perspective. However, meditation allows you to step back and see the bigger picture. This can be helpful in both your personal and professional life. For example, if you feel like you’re being taken advantage of at work or by a family member, you may realize that this isn’t actually true when you take time for some quiet reflection on the matter. You’ll also likely have an easier time dealing with stressful situations if they arise when meditation has given you a fresh perspective on your life.
2) Increases creativity
When you meditate, you clear your mind of distractions and allow yourself to focus on a single task. This can help increase your creativity because you’re able to better focus on the task at hand. Additionally, meditation has been shown to increase alpha brain waves, which are associated with creativity. The increased alpha waves have also been linked to an improvement in short-term memory, emotional stability, and decreased anxiety levels.
Finally, many people who meditate find that they get more done when they come back from their mediation session because they’ve cleared their minds of the chaos that’s often caused by racing thoughts.
3) Reduces stress
We all know that stress can take a toll on our health, both mentally and physically. But did you know that meditation can help reduce stress? Numerous studies have shown that meditation can help lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and decrease anxiety. If you’re looking for a way to reduce stress in your life, give meditation a try!
4) Decreases depression
In a study done at the University of Massachusetts, it was found that those who meditated had a decrease in their depression after eight weeks. The control group, who did not meditate, saw no change in their depression levels. The benefits of meditation are clear: it can help to improve your mood and overall mental health.
5) Boosts energy levels
Most people who start meditating do so because they want to feel calmer and more at peace. But what many don’t realize is that meditation can also be a powerful tool for boosting energy levels. In fact, studies have shown that regular meditation can increase energy levels by up to 20%. Research has also found that even just five minutes of mindful breathing each day can give you an instant boost in physical energy. And on the flip side, when you take care of your body through diet and exercise, it will benefit from the increased sense of well-being you experience from your daily practice!
6) Improves heart health
When you meditate, your heart rate slows and your blood pressure lowers. Over time, this can lead to improved heart health and a reduced risk of heart disease. In addition, benefits of meditation has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, two major risk factors for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, stress is a leading contributor to high blood pressure.
The benefits don’t stop there. Meditation also helps you live longer. A study from Harvard University found that people who practiced Transcendental Meditation lived an average of six years longer than those who didn’t practice it. The study found that TM’s benefits were not limited to particular age groups or even specific diseases.
In fact, practicing Transcendental Meditation regularly may even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease by reducing levels of cortisol in the brain which are often higher in these patients than in healthy people.
7) Improves sleep quality
You’ve probably heard that meditation can help improve sleep quality, but you may not know how it works. When you meditate, you focus your attention on a single point of reference, such as your breath. This trains your mind to be more present and less likely to wander off into thoughts about the past or future, which can keep you up at night. Meditation can also help quiet the mind chatter that keeps you awake and stressed.
8) Creates clarity
One of the most common benefits of meditation is that it creates clarity. When your mind is constantly racing, it’s hard to focus on anything. But when you meditate, you train your mind to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. This can help you in all areas of your life, from work to relationships.
