Meditation is well-known among Americans. It’s not surprising, given that this activity boasts massive benefits to the mind and body. The number of conditions that can be alleviated by daily practice is said to benefit the aging population more. The easy and simple procedure of meditation eliminates the need to have high levels of fitness, thus it is the best complementary treatment for older people. But of course, meditation is not only tailor-made for the seniors. People of all ages can practice this and improve their overall health and wellness.
Planning to try out meditation? Here’s a list of the top five benefits that you can reap from daily meditation.
1. Improves your heart health.
Stress is one of the main factors why many people suffer from cardiovascular diseases. With meditation, this health risk can be minimized and handled better. According to research from the National Institute of Health, meditation can potentially decrease the risk of hypertension by lowering the levels of stress. It also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack by approximately 48% and enhances overall cardiovascular function.
2. Boosts your memory.
As people age, physiological changes can affect the brain and result in occasional confusion or forgetfulness. The great thing about the brain is it continues to create brand new cells, and this process can be accelerated with the help of meditation. According to neuroscientist Sara Lazar from the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, daily meditation develops the part of the brain that manages the memory. With this, the advancement of memory-related diseases is impeded by improving blood flow to the brain. This also keeps harmful factors from affecting the main organ of the nervous system.
3. Alleviates pain.
This is where meditation is extremely helpful – it teaches the brain not to see pain as a potentially life-threatening condition. Through time, you will begin to perceive it in different parts of your brain, specifically in the areas responsible for attention control and non-judgmental reaction. Several studies have discovered that it can increase the quality of life of patients who suffer from chronic pain, such as joint diseases, lower back pain, and nerve pain.
4. Enhances your immune system.
The more you age, the more you should take good care of your immune system. Over time, the immune response becomes inefficient, which makes the elderly more prone to autoimmune diseases, infections, and chronic inflammation. According to research, this regression is still reversible up to some extent. By religiously following an excellent meditation program, seniors can reduce the risk of inflammation and other similar diseases.
5. Fights off insomnia.
A lot of people, especially elders suffer from insomnia due to many reasons, including heart conditions, pain, and dementia. Meditation can decrease anxiety among older people, which will enable them to sleep easily and soundly. According to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, individuals who treat meditation as a daily ritual displayed positive sleeping patterns and fewer daytime symptoms of insomnia.
Meditation is your regimen and there’s no right or way of performing it. To determine how much time you want to allocate in meditating, you need to engage yourself in the practice. Here are two things that you need to be sure about:
- What are your expectations from meditation?
- What level do you want to practice?
For instance, if you are a newbie, meditating daily for 30 minutes would be unrealistic for you. You need time and practice before you can have sustained attention for lengthy meditation sessions. On another note, if your goal why you want to meditate is to remove stress, a weekend session might not work for you compared to regular sessions. The frequency of meditation will mostly depend on the level that you are following (beginner, intermediate, or proficient), and the goal that you want to achieve. However, for most people, daily practice is the most beneficial. The duration of training may still vary according to each person.
Want to give meditation a try? There are many great CEU programs that teach it. Always remember that you don’t have to push yourself too hard to see great results. Consistency matters most. You can start with a few minutes then increase your duration over time. If sitting straight is too painful for you, you can also lay down. It is highly recommended that you try out various meditation techniques and styles to find out which one suits you best.
Meditation is indeed one of the most effective ways to ease your mind and eliminate the barriers of unawareness. It gives you the key to mental peace, happiness, and life energy that opens the true potential of your mind.