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Understand, based on science, what meditation is and its benefits

Edited and resized image of Ksenia Makagonova, is available on Unsplash

Meditation is a self-control technique in which the individual focuses thought on an image, sound, object, breath, thought or activity. It is used to increase self-awareness, reduce stress, increase concentration, improve mood, self-discipline, sleep and pain tolerance.

What Studies Say About Meditation

1. Reduces stress

Edited and resized image by Darius Bashar is available on Unsplash

A study, conducted with more than 3,500 adults, found that meditation reduces stress. Normally, physical and mental stress increases levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol. This has harmful effects on the body, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals called cytokines.

These effects can disrupt sleep, cause depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure, and cause fatigue and mental confusion.

Another eight-week study that looked at meditation mindfulness also called "mindfulness," concluded that it reduces inflammation associated with stress.

Another study of nearly 1,300 adults showed that meditation can lower stress, particularly in individuals with the highest levels.

In addition, other studies have found that meditation improves stress-associated conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fibromyalgia (see studies on this: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) .

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2. Controls anxiety

One study found that meditation reduces symptoms of anxiety disorders such as phobias, social anxiety, paranoid thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviors and panic attacks.

Another study, which followed 18 volunteers for three years after completing an eight-week meditation program, showed that most volunteers continued to practice meditation regularly and maintained lower levels of anxiety over the long term.

A third study, conducted on 2,466 participants, also showed that a variety of different meditation strategies can reduce anxiety levels.

The practice of yoga has been shown to help people reduce anxiety, which is likely due to the benefits of meditative practice and physical activity (see study on this here: 6).

Meditation can also help control highly stressful work-related anxiety. One study found that a meditation program reduced anxiety in a group of nurses.

3. Improves depression

Some forms of meditation can also contribute to self-esteem and an optimistic outlook on life. Two studies that analyzed meditation performed with method mindfulness found that there was a decrease in depression in more than 4,600 adults (see the studies here: 7, 8)

Another study that followed 18 volunteers as they practiced meditation for three years found that participants experienced a long-term decrease in depression.

The inflammatory agents that are released in response to stress, cytokines, can affect mood, leading to depression. A review of several studies suggests that meditation can reduce depression by lowering these cytokines.

Another controlled study compared the electrical activity between the brains of people who practiced mindfulness meditation and the brains of others who didn't. Those who meditated showed measurable changes in activity in areas related to positive thinking and optimism.

4. Improves self-esteem

Some forms of meditation can help you develop a better understanding of yourself, helping you to recognize thoughts that may be harmful or self-destructive. The idea is that, as awareness of harmful thought habits increases, it becomes easier to direct them towards more constructive patterns (see studies on this here: 9, 10, 11).

A study of 21 women who were battling breast cancer found that those who participated in a breast cancer program. tai chi showed more significant improvement in self-esteem than those who received social assistance.

In another study, 40 elderly men and women who took a mindfulness meditation program had a reduced feeling of loneliness compared with a control group who had been placed on a waiting list for the program. Furthermore, according to another study, meditation can lead to the development of more creative solutions to common problems.

5. Increases focus time

Meditation helps to increase the intensity of attention. A study that looked at the effects of an eight-week course of mindfulness meditation found that it improved participants' ability to refocus attention and maintain focus.

A similar study showed that human resource workers who regularly practiced mindfulness meditation remained focused on a task longer. These workers also remembered the details of their tasks better than their colleagues who did not practice meditation.

In addition, a review found that meditation can even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to shifting focus, worry, and lack of attention.

Even meditating in the short term, benefits can already be obtained. One study found that four days of meditation practice can be enough to increase attention span.

6. Can reduce age-related memory loss

Improvements in attention and clarity of thought can help maintain mental health. Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive finger movements to focus thoughts. This method has improved participants' ability to perform memory tasks in several studies of age-related memory loss.

In addition, a review of 12 studies found that various styles of meditation increased attention, memory and cognition in older volunteers.

In addition to combating normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia (see studies on this here: 12, 13).

7. Can generate altruistic behavior

Some types of meditation can particularly increase positive feelings and actions towards yourself and others. Metta, a type of meditation also love meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings about yourself.

Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness, first to friends, then to acquaintances, and finally to enemies.

Twenty-two studies on meditation metta concluded that it increases people's compassion for themselves and others. A study of 100 adults randomly assigned to a program that included meditation metta found that these benefits were dose dependent. In other words, the more effort people put into meditation metta, the more positive feelings they experience.

Another group of studies showed that the positive feelings people develop through meditation metta they can improve social anxiety, reduce conflict in marriage, and help with anger management. These benefits also seem to accumulate over time with practice.

8. Can help fight addictions

The mental discipline developed through meditation can combat addictions, increasing self-control and awareness of the triggers of addictive behaviors (see study about it here: 14).

Studies have shown that meditation can help people learn to redirect attention, increase willpower, control emotions and impulses, and increase understanding of the causes behind addictive behaviors (see studies on this: 15, 16).

A study that taught 19 recovering alcoholics to meditate found that participants who received the training improved in controlling their cravings and craving-related stress.

Meditation can also help control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found that mindfulness helped participants reduce emotional binge and binge eating.

9. Improves sleep

A study that compared two meditation programs based on mindfulness concluded that participants who meditated fell asleep earlier and stayed sleeping longer compared to those who did not meditate. It can also help to relax your body, releasing tension and putting you in a peaceful state where you are more likely to fall asleep.

10. Increases pain tolerance

Pain perception can be heightened under stressful conditions. One study used functional MRI techniques to observe brain activity while participants experienced a painful stimulus. Some have gone through four days of mindfulness meditation training, while others have not.

Patients who meditated showed greater activity in brain centers known to control pain. They also reported increased pain tolerance.

A larger study, which looked at the effects of meditation on 3,500 participants, found that the practice was associated with decreased complaints of chronic or intermittent pain.

A further study of terminally ill patients found that meditation can help alleviate chronic pain later in life.

11. May lower blood pressure

Meditation can also improve physical health by reducing strain on the heart. Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to heart malfunction.

High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

A study of 996 volunteers found that when they meditated by focusing on a "silent mantra" - a repeated, unspoken word - they reduced their blood pressure by about five points, on average. This was most effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure before the study.

12. It's affordable

There are many ways to practice meditation, most of which do not require specialized equipment or space. You can practice with just a few minutes daily.

If you want to start meditating, try to choose a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it.

There are two main styles of meditation:

• Attention-Focused Meditation: Focuses attention on a single object, thought, sound, or visualization. It aims to free the mind of distraction. Meditation can focus on breathing, a mantra, or a calming sound.
• Open Monitoring Meditation: Encourages increased awareness of all aspects of the environment, train of thought and sense of self. It can include becoming aware of thoughts, feelings, or impulses that you normally try to suppress.