This Article was found and sent in from our Friend Dr. Arturo  Osorio.  Dr. Osorio is a licensed medical doctor from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua. He is currently working as a medical reviewer for Sunshine Behavioral Health. 

The reason why  I first started meditating was because I had been Diagnosed with Cancer, and my stress and anxiety was already at an all time high. After near 30 days of crying in bed, I knew I needed to help myself. Not long before my cancer diagnosis, I also struggled with an opioid addiction with prescription medication .  Meditation soon became Medication for me, and now is part of my daily life. It has been of great benefit to my mental, and emotional health. Dr. Osorio’s intent is to bring awareness to mental health and the importance and impact it has on a person’s life.  Mental health is often times so overlooked.

Here is what Dr. Arturo Osorio had to say about it;

“As you probably know, mental health is a vital but often overlooked issue. Many of us have mental health issues or know someone with them. But as common as these conditions are, many people still don’t talk about them or are afraid to because of misinformation and stigmas.

Mental illnesses affect 19% of adults, 46% of teenagers, and 13% of children each year. But only half receive treatment, often because of those mental health-related stigmas, misinformation, and myths.”

Dr. Arturo Osorio

Here is what you will learn in this Article;

Title: Benefits of Meditation

Description: 5 to 7 benefits of meditation

Key Ideas:

• 5 to 7 benefits of meditation

 

 

Benefits of Meditation  

 

Meditation is a training process for your mind to redirect and focus your thoughts. Many have found meditation to develop concentration, reduce stress, and increase awareness. While others also use this practice to generate beneficial habits, like a positive outlook and mood, healthy sleep patterns, and an increase in self-discipline and pain tolerance. Meditation is rising in popularity around the world and here are some reasons why you should consider meditation as an option:

 

Control Anxiety

 

Meditation reduces stress levels and has a positive impact on anxiety. Yoga, which uses some of the same practices as meditation, has proven to help participants reduce anxiety. This is due to the benefits of physical activity and meditative practice. Meditation is a great tool to help employees manage job-related anxiety and develop coping skills.

 

Decrease Blood Pressure

 

Meditation has a major impact on your physical health by reducing heart strain. Over time, high blood pressure results in the heart working harder to pump blood.  The National Center of Biotechnology and Information determined that meditation helped reduce blood pressure, especially in older volunteers who already had high blood pressure.

 

Improve Self-Awareness

 

Certain types of meditation could help you generate a better understanding of yourself, helping you improve certain aspects of your life. The goal of self-inquiry meditation is to develop an improved understanding of yourself and how you relate to others. Other forms teach you to identify harmful or self-defeating thoughts.

 

Improve Sleep

 

Around half of the global population will suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. The Sleep Research Society found that those who meditated remained asleep longer compared to those who did not. Becoming skilled in meditation could help reduce or redirect the racing thoughts that lead to insomnia. Also, it will help your body relax, releasing enough tension to relax your mind and body.

 

Lengthen Attention Span

 

Focused attention meditation is like weightlifting for your attention span. It helps you increase the endurance and strength of your attention. Even meditating for a brief time each day can positively impact your life. 

 

Promote Emotional Health

 

Meditation can result in an improved self-image with a more positive outlook on life. Inflammatory chemicals known as cytokines are released by the body as a stress response and can impact your mood, leading to mental disorders such as depression. Meditation reduces those stress levels and negative thoughts which could reduce depression. JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation improved the symptoms of depression among 3,500 adults.

 

Reduce Stress

 

As mentioned, meditation is an exceptional stress reliever that can positively impact your mind and body. Stress reduction is one of the best reasons to start meditation. Mental and physical stress increase your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that produces harmful side effects of stress which contribute to cloudy thinking, fatigue, increased blood pressure, disrupted sleep, anxiety, and depression.

Meditation is an activity everyone can do to improve their emotional and mental health. Meditation can be practiced anywhere, you don’t even need a membership or special equipment. Alternatively, medication support groups and courses are available online or in person. Trying out a type of meditation that can help you reach your goals is an excellent way to improve your quality of life.

 

Sources

 

Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Investigating the Effect of Transcendental Meditation on Blood Pressure

Sunshinebehavioralhealth.com – The Top Ten Meditation Poses

Academic.oup.com – A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia

Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-Being