Meditation: 7 Reasons to Start Now

Meditation or mindfulness training is the act of spending time in quiet thought for the purposes of relaxation.

We live in a world overrun with distractions.

You’re always on your mobile phone – the ruler of your life.

You’re always busy, so you’re constantly running from one thing to the next and often running late.

This doesn’t give you much time to relax or to take stock of what really matters.

With your busy life, you’re more stressed and anxious.

You’re distracted.

You’re digitally connected but emotionally disconnected.

You’re not as present as you once were. And it’s taking a toll on your health – mentally, physically and emotionally.

So why meditate? Why not is the better question.

Seven key benefits of why you should be meditating right now.

1. More energy – to improve your concentration, attention and memory, allowing you to focus and work under stress.
2. More brain cells. Researchers at Harvard found more grey matter (more brain cells) in those who meditated regularly. Who wants to be smarter?
3. More self-aware – having a clear and calm mind will make you more comfortable in your own skin.
4. Less stress. Studies have shown that daily meditation improves your ability to process information, make decisions and regulate your emotions. It also helps regulate your heart rate and breathing.
5. Happy – studies have measured increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for positive emotions and decreased activity on the right side, the area responsible for negative emotions. This may make you feel less depressed.
6. Healthy – stronger Immune and cardiovascular systems. Meditation induces a relaxation response, due to increased parasympathetic activity – increasing nitric oxide, causing blood vessels to open and blood pressure to drop. This reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
7. Improved performance for sport, work and life.

Next up: Tips to set yourself up for success with your meditation practice.

#meditation #mindfulness #physiotherapy #mentalhealth