5 Unexpected Benefits of Meditation
I know what you’re thinking, “Meditation? Isn’t that just sitting around and thinking about nothing?” Well, not quite. Meditation can be a great way to reduce stress by clearing your mind of thoughts. It also has many unexpected benefits like improving your immune system and increasing the blood flow in your brain. With all these benefits, it is easy to see why meditation should be considered for athletes like yourself who are constantly under pressure or for anyone who wants to live healthier lives.
What is meditation?
med·i·tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt \
: to spend time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation
engage in contemplation or reflection
perform mental exercises (such as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness
focus one’s thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over
plan or project in the mind : INTEND, PURPOSE
Why should I meditate?
Meditation is a fantastic way to improve your mind and body health. Here are our top 5 reason your should start meditating.
Increased focus, attention and memory
You know that feeling when you can’t focus on anything? When your mind is constantly wandering or you lose yourself scrolling social media, and all of a sudden hours have passed without realizing it. Because of this, we have trouble focusing on school, work, or even spending time with family and friends.
It takes a lot of dedication and discipline to meditate – sitting down and thinking without distraction is hard! So working on getting better at meditation will transcend into better focus and attention in other areas of your life.
In addition, studies show that regular meditation increases blood flow to the brain. This leads to a stronger network of blood vessels in the cerebral cortex and reinforces memory capacity. If you are looking for ways to avoid memory loss development as you get older, then it is a good idea for you to start meditating. By strengthening your mind, you will improve your mind’s ability to withstand the wear and tear of getting older.
Reduced stress, depression & anxiety
I’m not stressed, you’re stressed :p Who isn’t feeling stressed nowadays?! Our minds are racing, so many things to do, so many things happening in the world, so many things to worry about right?!
Meditation can help you stay grounded in the current moment, help you find presence and peace, and help you focus on what you can control (rather than what you can’t). This helps break stress patterns, teaches you to slow down and breathe, and will help you become more adaptable to what comes up in everyday life.
Since meditation reduces stress, it can also have a positive effect on reducing anxiety and lessening depression. It allows your nervous system to become more flexible and out of flight, fight, freeze or shutdown cycles. You can turn that internal dialogue from “I am going to get fired if I don’t complete this project today” into a less frightening message such as “maybe just need some extra time.”
Improved mood and sleep
Do you feel like you could just sleep forever? But also that you can never sleep? Our sleeping cycles (or lack thereof) are strongly connected to our mood, and how we approach the world.
Taking time during your daily routine to slow down and focus on simple breathing techniques can trigger a relaxing response. This will help you’ll fall asleep faster and have less tossing and turning, leading to better overall sleep and sleeping patterns. You’ll wake up feeling more refreshed than before, and your mood will instantly improve!
Chronic pain relief and lower heart rate & blood pressure
As we have talked about in past blog posts, the mind-body connection is a huge factor to chronic pain and overall physical health. We talk a lot about the mind-body connection and its effect on the nervous system.
Your body may be locked in an emotional state causing physical pain. When we can become more present in our mind and body, through things like meditation, we are better able to attend to momentary or muscular tension. This will help shift out of the shutdown/fight/flight cycles, and release the stored tension that often causes chronic pain.
Stressful situations can also elevate heart rate and blood pressure. Meditation can help calm you down and help your nervous system be more flexible to adapt and recover from these stressful situations. Studies show that the effects of meditation are more pronounced among older individuals, who tend to have higher blood pressures to begin with, and that individuals who meditate regularly will experience long-term reductions in blood pressure.
Helps overcome addictions and binge eating
Often addictions and binge eating are what people turn to when they need to deal with stress or process emotions. But this is just a band-aid approach and these vicious cycles that could lead to life-ending consequences.
When you are meditating you are practicing self-awareness. This allows you to understand what you are really feeling and sit with those emotions. It can get uncomfortable, but working through those emotions rather than suppressing them can be super important to regulating your nervous system. As mentioned above, when you regulate your nervous system you can be more flexible and adaptable to deal with life as it comes at you. Reducing the need to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
How can I get started?
MVMNT is bringing mind and body together in one platform. You’ll never think about your physical health the same way again after trying MVMNT’s meditation sessions. Our new addition to our mobility program is an incredible tool for healing. Start your journey today!