“I Don’t Have Time To Relax!”: The Health Benefits Of Meditation 

In this fast-world, we know it seems like you can’t slow down, but your physical and mental health depends on your ability to appropriately manage your stress level. Many of us have tried exercising, developing hobbies, cutting back on work obligations, but more and more people are looking to the practice of meditation as a way to manage stress.  Good research has been conducted into the practice of meditation that shows it is a useful and practical technique for managing stress. Meditation is a good way of relaxing during, and at the end of, a stressful day. It is something you can learn to do yourself, or may be something you prefer to learn in classes.

Meditation is generally recognized as a great spiritual practice, especially in the philosophies and Eastern religions. In recent decades, Western culture has been increasingly exposed to meditation through the popularity of martial arts and certain Eastern philosophies.  The practice of meditation also has many health benefits. Westerners are also discovering that meditation is not as mysterious or difficult to do as what many of us may have thought. And given the long list of benefits that a small meditation can produce, it may be interesting for you to look at this ancient practice.

Meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in treatment of mental illnesses, in accelerated learning programs, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems.

Some benefits of meditation are:

• It lowers oxygen consumption.
• It decreases respiratory rate.
• It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
• Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients.
• Improvement in concentration.
• Leads to a deeper level of relaxation.
• Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the blood pressure to normal.
• Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
• Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
• Builds self-confidence.
• It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
• Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
• Reduces premenstrual syndrome.
• Helps in post-operative healing.
• Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of ‘natural-killer cells’, which kill bacteria and cancer cells.
• Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress.

So, whats stopping you? Take a few minutes today and meditate.