In today's society meditation has become a poopular topic of conversation, not only because our interconnected world allows us to share things with people that we barely know in an unconscioius hope of connecting with people, but also because this tool that we use has actually been helpful to the point that we want to help others. If you don't believe me just listen to the conversations when the topic is brought up. You'll here reasons in why they do it, you'll hear things like, "It helps me with my anxiety" or, "It has been the best thing for me to help with my focus". In fact you'll hear so many reasons that you you would think that meditation is an instant fix for everything, the funny thing is:
there is nothing instant about it.
It can fix a lot or at least help with almost everthing that deals with the mind
"Meditation is a habitual process that trains your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts." this quote by Matthew Thorpe and Rachel Links from Healthline is probably the most accurate and eloquent way to describe it. It's accurate because it is habitual meaning that meditation works best if its done consistently, and the gains you receive from it is remarkable to say the least. There are so many more benefits from benefits from medititation than helping with anxiety and helping with focus, that you will wonder why you haven't starting meditating sooner.
1. Enhance Self-Awareness
This is one of my favorite benefits from meditation. There are forms of meditations that allow you to focus on yourself so you can understand YOU better. For example if you are looking to fix the one thing that you are doing that is damaging to your relationships, you would do a self-inquiry meditation to find your answer. yogajournal.com has a nice article to better explain self-inquiry meditation and how to do it, I will have the link below. There are other meditations for people who may want to speak or think more positively, in fact that was one of the first meditations I learned, it's easy to do and if you do it enough you will began to apply the technique in you everyday life.
the rejection and acceptance meditation
For this meditation you have to set aside 5-10 minutes a day:
Sit or lay in a relax state
Deep breathing into your nose and out through the mouth
Focus on you, your breathing, as your begin to wander LET IT
Listen to your thoughts, decide if your thought are negative or positive
If your thought is negative say aloud, "I reject this thought"
If your thought is positive say aloud, "I accept this thought"
Continue you through each thought deciding for the rest of your session, and your done.
2. Helps Control Pain
If you are a fan of the "Daredevil" series on Netflix, then you are aware of how Matt Murdock heals himself. If you are not, it's ok because I will tell you how he does it, meditation. Now I know it's a tv show, but they aren't far off. Meditation may not actually heal wounds, but it can help you control pain. The International Association for the Study of Pain describes pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage", meaning your nerves received a signal where an outside force made contact with your body that has or can potentially cause tissue damage and that signal goes to your brain saying, "This hurts" and causes emotional stress. That is a mental reaction that meditation can help with coping and reducing pain. In 35 studies done found that mindfulness meditation could reduce pain, improve the quality of life, and decrease the symptoms of depression in people with chronic pain.
3. Help Lengthen Attention Span
In today's world we have a plethora things fighting for your attention (video games, music, televison, podcast, long term and short term video content etc...), and we are more than picking with our time while simultaneously consistently being distracted by everything. Our attention span is cut short, but with meditation you have to center your mind to focus on the moment and with constant practice it will expand your ability to focus.
4. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are two of the most common mental health issues that people face today. Chronic stress can lead to physical and mental health problems, while anxiety can cause feelings of worry, nervousness, and fear. Meditation has been proven to help reduce both stress and anxiety. By practicing mindfulness and focusing on the present moment, individuals can learn to control their thoughts and emotions, which can lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety levels. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness meditation for just a few weeks can reduce anxiety, depression, and even symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
5. Improves Sleep Quality
Insomnia and other sleep disorders are becoming increasingly common in today's fast-paced world. Poor sleep quality can lead to a range of health problems, including decreased productivity, mood swings, and weakened immune system.
Stress and anxiety are two of the most common mental health issues that people face today. Chronic stress can lead to physical and mental health problems, while anxiety can cause feelings of worry, nervousness, and fear. Meditation has been proven to help reduce both stress and anxiety. By practicing mindfulness and focusing on the present moment, individuals can learn to control their thoughts and emotions, which can lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety levels. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness meditation for just a few weeks can reduce anxiety, depression, and even symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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