With its roots in ancient traditions, meditation has become a widespread tool for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. But popular opinion is still pretty torn between whether this is snake oil or the real deal. So what does science say about the effectiveness of meditation?
Psychological research has shown several scientifically proven benefits for daily meditation. From reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety to improving focus and cognitive function, the evidence suggests it can be a powerful tool for improving mental health and overall well-being.
Let’s take a look at the top ten benefits of meditation and how this ancient practice can help us live happier and healthier lives.
Related: 10 Ridiculous Health Myths (Science Says They’re Actually True)
10 Reduce stress
When you experience stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol. This hormone can harm your physical and mental health, but meditation has been shown to lower cortisol levels. Taking a few minutes each day to meditate can reduce the amount of cortisol in your body and help you feel more relaxed.
Even meditation beginners can lower their cortisol levels; the more you practice meditation techniques, the faster your stress will dissipate.
Stress activates your sympathetic nervous system, which can increase your heart rate and tense your muscles. Meditation can counter these effects and help you feel more relaxed. This is part of your nervous system responsible for the “rest and digest” response.
9 Improve your focus
Since meditation is a practice aimed at training your mind to be present, you can work to minimize distractions and increase your ability to concentrate. Deep breathing, visualization, or mindfulness techniques are standard practices, but there are many styles of meditation that you can adapt to whatever feels right for you.
The beauty of meditation is that it has benefits no matter how your brain works. Consistent meditation can change the structure of the brain, leading to increased attention and focus. Even people with ADHD see improvements; there’s a reason many experts recommend this practice to reduce symptoms.
A study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that participants who completed an eight-week meditation program showed increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with attention and decision-making.
But you don’t have to be a monk or a yogi to reap the benefits of meditation. Even a few minutes of daily exercise can improve your focus and concentration.
8 Reduce anxiety
Anxiety affects millions of people around the world and functions like an unyielding monster that fills your mind with negative thoughts, leaving you overwhelmed, stressed and anxious.
A potential rescue? Meditation.
Meditation has the power to significantly reduce anxiety. Studies show that regular meditation can help reduce anxiety by reducing activity in the amygdala, the brain’s anxiety and stress processing center. In addition, meditation can boost activity in the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for emotion regulation, decision-making, and attention. This increased activity allows you to better manage your emotions and reduces the chance of anxious thoughts and feelings taking over your mind.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that mindfulness-based stress reduction, a form of meditation, can help relieve anxiety symptoms. If this appeals to you, find a quiet place, sit down and take a few deep breaths. With consistent practice, you experience reduced anxiety and gain control over your thoughts.
7 Achieve better sleep
Forget your sleep number — if you long to consistently fall into a peaceful slumber and wake up revived, meditation may be key. It helps to solve stress and anxiety, two major factors that often deprive us of a good night’s sleep.
By focusing your mind on the present and letting go of worrying thoughts, you can train your brain to enter a state of deep relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep and sleep through the night.
Regular meditation increases the quality of your sleep and extends the time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep that are critical to your physical and mental health. The ability of meditation to improve sleep quality is supported by a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. So if you struggle with insomnia, incorporating just a few minutes of meditation into your daily routine can make a significant difference.
6 Manage or reduce your depression
If you’re battling chronic depression, you know every small step helps. Meditation positively affects depression symptoms, such as low mood, lack of motivation and feelings of hopelessness.
Because it encourages you to be present and aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment, you can promote self-awareness, acceptance, and self-compassion. This exercise helps you deal with difficult emotions and thoughts in a more constructive way, reducing the chance of depression. A study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, a form of meditation, reduces depression symptoms.
And since meditation increases activity in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates your emotions, it allows you to regulate negative emotions like sadness or anger, which can contribute to chronic depression. Even just a few minutes a day can lift your mood.
5 Relieve physical pain
Okay, we’re not downplaying real pain by saying, “It’s all in your head.” Physical pain is usually caused by a legitimate problem. But your brain is a powerful thing, and meditation can help you manage the pain you feel.
Regular meditation can alter the brain’s pain-processing mechanisms, reducing the intensity and unpleasantness of physical pain. The pain-reducing potential of meditation is proven by a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. Another study showed that mindfulness meditation was more effective than traditional pain management techniques in reducing chronic low back pain.
So if you’re looking for a natural and effective way to reduce pain, try turning on a guided meditation like this one. A few minutes of mindfulness practice each day can help you feel more at ease and relaxed, even in the face of physical discomfort.
4 Strengthen your immune system
You’ve just returned from a global pandemic and you know why a robust immune system is crucial to fending off disease and recovering from infections. In addition to its countless health benefits, meditation has a positive impact on our immune system. Regular exercise can strengthen your body’s natural defenses and promote better overall health.
A study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences supports the role of meditation in improving immune function. Studies show that meditation improves immune function in several ways, including:
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It reduces stress and anxiety, which are known culprits in weakening your immune system.
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It increases the activity of the natural killer cells – an integral part of your immune defense – and raises the level of antibodies, proteins that neutralize harmful invaders.
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It supports better sleep, which helps your body fight infections more effectively and recover faster from illnesses.
So if you want to boost your immune system, consistent daily meditation is a great place to start! Whether you’re just getting started or have been practicing for years, taking a few minutes each day to quiet your mind and focus on your breathing can help you avoid getting the flu.
3 Regulate blood pressure
Unless you’re like Dwight Shrute, who claims, “Concentration allows me to raise and lower my blood pressure at will,” you might want to listen.
Did you know that blood pressure is the force blood exerts on the walls of arteries as it flows? Constantly high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke. But regular meditation can help lower that pressure so you can keep it within a healthy range.
By calming the mind and body, meditation reduces stress and anxiety — two villains behind high blood pressure. As your body enters a relaxed state during meditation, your heart rate and breathing slow down, blood vessels dilate and blood flows more smoothly, resulting in reduced pressure on the arterial walls.
A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Hypertension found that meditation may help lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine, even for just a few minutes, can significantly lower blood pressure.
2 Boost cognitive skills
Do you want to be the next Einstein? It might be time to put down those flash cards and start working on your deep breathing.
Regular meditation can lead to changes in brain structure and function, resulting in improved cognitive skills. One of these changes involves strengthening the prefrontal cortex, which plays a critical role in cognitive processes such as attention, decision-making, and impulse control. Meditation also expands the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory.
In addition to structural changes, meditation has improved cognitive performance on several tasks. It can improve working memory, attention and cognitive flexibility.
1 Relieves PTSD symptoms
Meditation has proven to be a powerful tool for relieving symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is no joke. It can be incredibly challenging and affects many people who have experienced traumatic events.
A study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that meditation was associated with reduced PTSD symptoms, such as intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Meditation helps PTSD by lowering anxiety and stress levels. People with PTSD often feel tense and have increased alertness. Meditation can calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety and stress.
It can also help with emotional regulation when you’re struggling with intense emotions. Practicing mindfulness meditation gives you the chance to observe your own thoughts and emotions without getting overwhelmed.