10 Science Based Benefits of Meditation
Mental health issues are one of the most significant problems facing the FIFO work culture, with at least one in three FIFO workers experiencing high levels of psychological distress. This can be due to many factors such as working away from loved ones, lengthy days with large workloads, an ever-changing body clock, heightened isolation and loneliness, as well as very little time to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Overtime, these challenges start to take their toll on the wellbeing of workers, and if left untreated, can become severely damaging to the individuals and those around them. When it comes to finding methods for coping with such issues, meditation has been found to be one of the most effective practices that one can implement into their daily routine - so here are 10 science based benefits of introducing meditation into your everyday life.
1. Reduces Stress & Anxiety
Meditation affects the body in the exact opposite way in which stress does, by triggering the body’s relaxation response. Research has shown that those who practice meditation regularly begin to see changes in their response to stress that allow them to recover from stressful situations more easily and experience less stress from the challenges they face in their everyday lives.
2. Sharpens Attention & Increases Focus
Due to meditation being a focus orientated activity, it is only logical that it positively affects the way in which we take in new information and perceive our surroundings. One study found that people who meditated regularly had heightened attention and concentration span compared to those who do not meditate. Researchers also found that meditation helps to reduce mind-wandering along with improving the ability to problem solve.
3. Lowers High Blood Pressure & Improves Heart Rate
A study revealed that regular mindfulness-based stress reduction activities were able to reduce both diastolic and systolic blood pressure over an 8-week period as well as bring down cortisol levels, both significant factors in heart health. It is also shown to increase heart rate variability, which puts you at lesser risk of heart attack and stroke.
4. Decreases Tension Related Pain
Meditation has the effect of helping to reduce pain intensity as some mental processes can alter sensory phenomena. A small study conducted in 2012 found that people who practiced mindfulness were able to reduce pain by 22%, as well as reducing anticipatory anxiety by 29%. Overall, mindfulness is associated with lower pain sensitivity, including in people who have no prior experience with meditation.
5. Decreases Depression
Meditation helps change your response to negative thinking by teaching you to acknowledge these thoughts and feelings without passing judgement or criticizing yourself. By recognizing the bad thoughts, accepting them, and letting them go instead of ignoring them, you are disrupting cycles of negative thinking which can result in a more positive mindset.
6. Improves Memory Retention
When meditating, both the long-term and short-term memory storage centres light up. This can help you remember things that you may have already forgotten as it can harness the power of the subconscious mind. Being focused and in the moment can also help us to better recall important details as well as overall strengthen the brain.
7. Enhances Quality of Sleep
Sleep problems often stem from stress related issues, and as we have already discovered, stress can be reduced through meditation. By minimizing our stress levels, the quality of rest you get each night will only improve, leaving you with a fresh start every morning.
8. Slows the Brains Aging Process
Stress is a huge factor in the ageing process of the brain as it can accelerate characteristics such as memory loss. One study that measured biological aging through telomeres in adults found that those who did loving-kindness meditation had significantly less shortening of telomeres in the same amount of time compared to people who did not meditate.
9. Enhances Self-awareness
Meditation allows you to be aware of the present moment with no judgment, which can help to observe and manage negative thoughts and change them into more productive thoughts. Becoming more self-aware can also help you understand what the causes of anxiety, sadness and even addiction are. Overall, it lets us have greater control over our thoughts and influences our ability to think about our choices.
10. Helps Fight Addictions
Meditation may help you break dependencies by increasing your self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviours. Research has shown that meditation can help people learn to redirect their attention, manage their emotions and impulses, and increase their understanding of the causes behind their addictions, ultimately helping them to mitigate them.
As we can see from the above points, stress is the main source of many different problems we face. By introducing meditation into your routine, you can help to reduce this stress and therefore improve your overall health in the long run.