Benefits
of meditation and why we all have to gain !?
Benefits
of meditation
Meditation has
attracted the attention of researchers for decades, thousands of scientific
studies have been done on this ancient practice over time.
But let’s try to see the
essentials together with its 6 main advantages.
1 –
MEDITATION “PHYSICALLY” MODIFIES YOUR BRAIN
A 2011 Harvard study by Dr.
Sarah Lazar found that 9 weeks of meditation is enough to increase brain size
in 3 crucial locations:
·
left seahorse: where does our ability to learn and
retain information come from
·
posterior cingulate cortex: which helps us remember
and orient ourselves topographically
·
temporo-parietal junction: area where empathy and
compassion reside
Also after 8 weeks of
meditation, a drop in cells was found in the tonsil complex, the area of the
brain that “builds” fear, stress and anxiety.
The bottom line: through
meditation, we are able to shape areas of our brain and
“Reprogram” them to improve
positive traits like focus and decision-making, and lessen less positive ones
like fear and stress. Beyond that, it means that it is possible to change our
brain for the better in a sustainable way. Meditation modifies and strengthens
the brain, it is the equivalent of a weight training session for it!
2 – REDUCES
“POOR FEELINGS“
Stress in small amounts is not
so much of a problem as that, in some cases, stress can even be healthy.
However, most people stress too
much, which can be bad and cause a lot of more or less serious health problems.
Indeed, mental and physical stress leads to an increase in cortisol (stress hormone)
levels which can disturb sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood
pressure, among others.
A 2004 study found that
meditation can help:
·
manage stress better
·
drastically reduce the negative effects of stress
A study of almost 1,300 adults has
shown that meditation can reduce stress; this effect was particularly marked in
people with the highest levels of stress.
A recent 2016 study by Professor
Willem Kuyken concluded that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears to be
effective as a treatment for preventing relapse in people with recurrent
depression, especially those with more pronounced residual symptoms.
A similar 2014 study by
Elisabeth Hoge of people with anxiety found that meditating for eight weeks had
the potential to reduce these symptoms of anxiety.
And if all of these studies
can’t convince you that meditation is good for fighting negative feelings, a
meta-analysis published on JAMA reviewed 19,000 studies on meditation,
concluding that it helps reduce
anxiety and depression.
3 – Helps to
get rid of bad habits
Helps to get rid of bad habits
The frontal dorso lateral cortex
is the part of the brain responsible for the will, yet a 2015 study concluded
that meditation helps develop this part of the human brain!
Another 2014 study by Sarah
Bower aimed to separate alcoholics into two groups:
·
a group that has been taught mindfulness meditation
·
another one that we plunged into a classic 12-step
weaning program
After one year, 8% of the
participants in the first group plunged back into the blood alcohol level
against 20% in the second group.
Meditation is like weight
training for the brain, by training it, you will strengthen your will and your
ability to make the things that you really want deep inside you happen. I often
observe that regular practitioners of meditation have, after adopting this
practice, wanted to make other healthy changes in their life (with success),
such as losing weight or eating better.
4 – IMPROVE
YOUR CONCENTRATION
A 2010 study carried out by Dr.
Catherine MacLean of the University of California looked at lines of text
analyzed by participants to find the differences. The kind of tedious and
boring work possible, Dr. realized that the group that had been subjected to
meditation classes was doing better on the analytical exam than the other,
suggesting that meditation has the power improve concentration.
Another study conducted this
time on the Washington side came to the same conclusion, realizing that
meditation had the power to allow workers to focus longer on a task.
A very simple little example
from everyday life: maybe you are the type who cannot read more than two pages
of a book without
subconsciously diverting your
attention from the story and realizing 10 minutes later that you have
completely lost your wire.
5 – COULD
WELL IMPROVE LONGEVITY
A California study of seniors
highlighted that meditation significantly reduces the amount of C-reactive
protein, which is directly correlated with the risk of developing heart
disease. The same study also found that meditation reduces inflammation in the
body.
Another Boston study of
hypertension patients found that 3 months of meditation was enough to lower
their blood pressure.
6 –
MEDITATING MAKES (MORE) HAPPY
MEDITATING MAKES (MORE) HAPPY
In a 2004 study, Dr. Richard
Davidson placed electrodes on the heads of monks who have practiced meditation
for several years. He then realized, not without amazement, that the monks had
30 times the normal rates of gamma brain waves, to which we attribute notions
such as:
·
intelligence
·
compassion
·
self control
·
feelings of well-being
Another 2008 study published by
Professor Barbara
Fredrickson concluded that the practice of daily meditation provides a sense
of well-being and positive emotions that continually increase as one engages in
it.
