Meditation = Health Benefits.

There are many Health Benefits when it comes to practicing Mindfulness Meditation. I'm sure many of you already know them and for those who are new to the Journey of  Meditation,  here are a few health benefits that meditation can bring to your life.

1. Meditation Reduces Stress levels.

 When the body undergoes physical and mental stress there is an increase in plasma levels of the Hormone Cortisol, which is produced in the adrenal glands. When abnormal levels of  cortisol begin to increase during stress, the high levels of cortisol begin to effect different physiological systems of the body, such as; blood pressure, where your blood pressure may start to rise, sleep disturbance, disturbance with the human circadian rhythm, weight gain, fatigue, muscle aches, dehydration and many more!

When one practices mindfulness meditation this relaxes the mind and the body, releasing any tension found in the muscles bringing cortisol levels back to baseline. When the brain and the mind is calm this also calms the nerves and decreasing the excessive release of catecholamines which are heightened during an Anxiety Attack.  A study was held at the University of California, Davis Centre where they conducted a study showing the direct correlation of decrease in plasma Cortisol Levels with Mindfulness Meditation. Have A Doubt? Look up the Shamatha Project held at UC, Davis!

2. Meditation Boosts Up Your Immune System.

A study was conducted at the University of Wisconsin where the study concluded that mindfulness meditation increased the electrical activity of the left side of the brain. The left side of the brain is responsible for the command center  for the Immune System. Meditation increases the production of antibodies and enhances brain function, which both help in strengthening the Immune System, fighting against external viruses and bacteria! So Boost it up with some meditation!

3. Meditation can help control your weight. 

Mindfulness meditation leads to "mindful eating." A recent study was done at the University of California, San Francisco where they conducted a randomized trial with 48 women. Half the women were put in the experimental study where they meditated 30 minutes a day and the other half were part of a control group where the women did not meditate. At the end of the study the women that meditated 30 minutes a day, were able to recognize their cravings and habitual eating patterns and were able to control their weight.

The goal of the study was to notice the habitual patterns that an individual carries when it come to the body's response to it's emotions and eating habits. With mindful meditation one becomes more aware of their emotions such as anger, sadness, depression, anxiety which are emotions that can lead to over eating or slowly become leaning towards "comfort food" in response to our emotions. If we can  stop and recognize our emotions then we can control over eating and cravings adapting ourselves to "mindful eating."

4. Meditation Helps With Anxiety. 

During an anxiety attack there is a Lactate increase in the blood which is produced from skeletal muscles due to insufficient supply of oxygen that occurs during the state of panic!! The parasympathetic system is heightened and increases our heart rate during a panic attack. Dr.Herbert Benson who is the founder of Mind Body Medical Institute in Boston which is Affiliated with Harvard University, conducted many studies of how meditation helps those how have anxiety traits. Studied showed that patients that meditated had lower levels of lactate in the blood compared to those who did not meditate. During meditation, one practices deep breathing techniques which helps balance oxygen demand through out the body, hence decreasing levels of lactate in the blood.

5. Meditation and the Brain. 

Meditation alone has many benefits when it comes to the brain. Did you know that a person that mediates regularly begins to shrink the amygdala inside the brain which is responsible for controlling reaction to fear? Another fun fact is that during meditation the hippo-campus enlarges which is responsible for controlling our memory and context for our emotional response. Therefore improving our memory and having more control of our emotions. At Yale University a research study was done that concluded that people who regularly meditated had an increase of serotonin levels by 22% compared to people who did not meditate. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is decreased in patients with depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.

6. Meditation is FREE!!!!!

Meditation is free! It doesn't cost a thing!!!! So take out some time today and start practicing Mindfulness Meditation and begin your journey to a healthy lifestyle!

Hope you all enjoyed my article on the Health Benefits of Meditation. Please feel free to share your comments.

Love. Peace. Harmony.

Dr. Sania A.