At its core, meditation is the use of various techniques, such as mindfulness, attention focus, or contact with the present moment, to train yourself to achieve a clear and stable emotional and mental state. As the practice has become more popular, extensive research into the benefits of meditation has been conducted, and the results clearly indicate that the effects reach into and enhance many areas of life.

One of the key benefits of meditation is stress reduction. It helps to control adrenaline and heart rate, which in turn assists with controlling the release of the stress hormone cortisol and its associated inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. This reduction in stress and its associated effects also leads to a decrease in anxiety and depression, and an increase in stress reactivity and coping. Another side effect of the reduction in stress is decreased blood pressure and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Stress constricts blood vessels and increases heart rate, but a reduction in stress has been proven to mitigate these factors, resulting in a healthier heart.

This physical stress reduction response has been found to be related to physical changes in the brain: an increase in the cortical thickness in the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory, and in certain areas of the brain that play roles in emotion regulation and self-referential processing. There were also decreases in brain cell volume in the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress, indicating that the feeling of stress and anxiety reduction is not just subjective, but is actually supported by measurable physical changes.

An increase in emotional health and wellbeing, and a greater understanding of yourself and how you relate to the world around you, is another benefit. Being able to recognise harmful, negative or self-defeating thoughts is important in fostering a sense of self-efficacy, and belief in your own ability to overcome challenges and become a more complete person. Along with this is the development of kind thoughts and feelings towards yourself, and then towards others, resulting in greater compassion, kindness, empathy, and forgiveness, both internally and externally. These positive feelings towards the self have also been found to assist with managing triggers for addiction, and the control of pain.

One of the main concerns that many people have when first trying meditation is difficulty focusing their attention. Increased attention focus can lead to improved performance on visual tasks and neuropsychological tests, and to improved memory. Linked into this improvement in memory is improved mental clarity, which can also help with age-related memory loss and some symptoms of dementia. Being able to control or redirect racing thoughts and focus attention also helps to improve sleep, because as we all know, one of the key causes of insomnia is the inability to “turn your brain off”. It can also help to relax your body and release tension, which creates a relaxed state in which you are more likely to fall asleep.

The biggest drawcard for many people is the accessibility of meditation – it can be done any time, almost anywhere, and may only take a few minutes, depending on your needs at the time. Many people find it helpful to start or end their day with meditation, do it before an important meeting or event, or even if they’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed with day-to-day life.

The most common types of mediation include:

• Mindful meditation
• Mindfulness-based stress relaxation
• Loving-kindness / self-compassion meditation

These can also come under the general banners of focused-attention or open-monitoring meditation, so it depends on which style you find works best for you. If you’re interested in incorporating meditation into your daily routine, try a few different styles to see what works best for you, and consider guided meditation through the use of an app or a class to get started.

References

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