More and more people are discovering the benefits of meditation in our current fast-paced society, in which we are chronically short of time and our minds are working overtime. While people have been meditating for over 7,000 years, today it is perhaps more important than ever to practice meditation. Science is also increasingly substantiating that meditation promotes health.
The oldest images of meditation come from India and date back to 5000 BC. The word meditation comes from meditatum, a Latin term meaning 'to think'. Funny, because while meditating you try not to think too much, but instead observe your thoughts. By practicing meditation, we can look for a better connection with our body and create a stronger awareness of how our emotions affect our behavior. Practicing meditation contributes to our physical, mental and emotional health.
When you meditate regularly you can experience the following health benefits:
It improves concentration and memory.
You train your willpower that you can benefit from in various areas.
You fall asleep more easily and sleep better.
You can get a more positive outlook on life and therefore feel more
comfortable in your own skin.You feel more compassion and become kinder.
You feel a connection with the people around you and loneliness
decreases.The stress hormone cortisol decreases, so that you experience less stress.
The amount of inflammation in the body can decrease.
Meditation can also combat fears, phobias, social anxiety and panic attacks.
It can decrease the perception of pain in the brain.
Blood pressure drops during meditation practice and afterwards.
Meditation can positively influence your immune system.
You can learn to meditate
Are you new to meditation but would you like to start? There are many ways you can learn it nowadays. There are plenty of Youtube videos, books or apps or you can take a course. For example, Netflix has the Headspace guide to Meditation.