Meditation was once dismissed as ‘woo woo’; a silly, mythical practice reserved only for hippies and spiritual types. But meditation has come a long way. Today, it’s recognised by the scientific community and is practised by people from all walks of life, all around the globe.
Meditation is regarded as a powerful practice that carries a wealth of benefits for our mind, body, and soul and if you’re starting out, it can be helpful to know what a difference it can make to your life.
Here are just a few scientifically proven benefits of meditation…
Reduces stress
We could all do with a little less stress in our lives, but sometimes it can’t be avoided and ditching or delegating our tasks simply isn’t an option. When life gets hectic and there’s little you can do to change things, meditation may help you cope.
Countless studies show that meditation is beneficial for people dealing with stress. One study in particular, found participants who meditated had significantly decreased levels of anxiety, while another concluded that meditation empowered people to work better under stress.
One of the biggest barriers to meditating is finding the time to do it. But being stressed out and time-strapped means you need meditation even more.
Provides pain relief
What’s the first thing you do when you experience pain? For most of us, the answer is ‘pop a painkiller’. But next time you experience mild pain, it may be more beneficial to close your eyes and meditate.
According to a 2016 study, meditating can significantly reduce the intensity of pain and the sensation of unpleasantness in the body.
Meditation uses different brain pathways to manage pain than those used by other pain treatments. In fact, over time, it can train the brain to better deal with pain in the future.
Who needs paracetamol, eh?
Promotes healing
The body is a powerful system. When you hurt yourself, the body reacts with a healing mechanism. It’s the very reason a cut eventually becomes a scar.
Meditation is shown to speed up the body’s healing process. Studies indicate that meditation improves wound healing and reduces post-operative stress.
Experts believe that one of the main reasons that meditation promotes healing is because it reduces stress and anxiety, allowing the body to get on with the complex job of making you better.
Strengthens the immune system
The immune system is the body’s first line of defence against illness. It protects you from foreign invaders like germs and parasites and when you do become sick, it plays a key role in ensuring you feel better fast.
Meditation may improve the body’s immune function according to a study published in 2003. Participants underwent an eight-week mindfulness meditation course. At the end, researchers discovered that participants had increased immune system function, compared to the control group.
Reduces inflammation
That’s not all. As well as strengthening your immune system, relieving pain, and aiding the body’s healing process, meditation also has anti-inflammatory benefits.
High levels of inflammation in the body can lead to a whole host of pesky health problems. According to a 2013 study, if you meditate, you can reduce inflammation in your body at a cellular level.
Researchers found that meditating actually changes cellular structure in the body, leading to lower levels of inflammation.
Pretty cool, huh?
Aids emotional regulation
One of the main reasons many people meditate is to find relief from what’s going on inside their heads. Even a few minutes of meditation a day can offer you the headspace you need to feel calm and collected.
But don’t just take our word for it. There’s tonnes of scientific research on the way meditation helps us manage our emotions. Countless studies have shown links with decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety. It’s also shown to improve mood and help people manage mood disorders.
In short? Meditation may be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your mental health.
Helps you sleep better
You’re a better person when you’re well-rested. And meditating may help you get the rest you so desperately need. According to Harvard Health, meditation is key in the fight against insomnia. Not only can it help you fall asleep more quickly, but ensure you sleep more deeply as well.
What’s more, you don’t need to meditate directly before bed to feel the benefits. Meditating at any time during the day can lead to a better night’s sleep.
Improves creativity
Most of us imagine picking up a paintbrush or sitting down to write a story when we think of creativity, but creativity can also be found in out-of-the-box thinking, and science says meditation is ace at encouraging you to think in new and exciting ways.
A 2012 study found that meditation opened the mind to divergent and creative thinking, allowing for improved problem-solving.
Boosts self-esteem
How you feel about yourself matters and affects every area of your life from your relationships to your job. Naturally then, most of us would do just about anything to cultivate good self-esteem. Meditation lets you do just that.
As meditation encourages self-awareness, it allows us to objectively view our thoughts. That means when self-sabotaging thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “Nobody likes me” come up, we can choose whether we want to believe them or not.
When we stop believing in unpleasant and hurtful thoughts about ourselves, we pave the way for healthier self-esteem.
And you thought you were just breathing deeply for a few minutes, huh?
Combats loneliness
Even in today’s hyper-connected world, many of us struggle with loneliness. Meditation is a solitary practice and it may seem silly to suggest that sitting by yourself in silence could alleviate the burden of feeling alone.
However, scientists say this is actually the case. A 2012 study found that meditating – even when done alone – could decrease feelings of loneliness.
Why might this be the case? Some experts suggest it’s because meditating deepens our connection to the world around us and can also alleviate some of the mental and emotional effects of loneliness.
Makes you more compassionate
Compassion is defined as concern for the feelings of others, and the world would be a better place if we could all cultivate more compassion for one another. Meditating may be the answer.
In a study, participants were asked to perform a compassion-focused meditation. By the end of the session, they were found to act with more generosity and compassion, than participants in the control group.
Imagine if everyone meditated. One thing’s for sure: we’d all be a lot kinder to one another.
Improves interpersonal relationships
Are you harbouring a grudge? Or could the relationships in your life do with a little TLC? Just as meditation fosters compassion for others, it’s also shown to deepen the connections you have with the people closest to you.
Loving-kindness meditation showed the biggest benefits, helping to increase feelings of empathy and connection with the people around you. Even just a few minutes of this particular meditation practice showed marked increases in positive relationships with others.
Increases focus and concentration
Today’s busy world is full of distractions, making it difficult to focus on the task at hand. If you find your attention is constantly pulled one way or another, then meditation may help.
You often feel clearer-headed right after meditation but there’s more to it than that. In fact, according to researchers, following a two-week mindfulness course, participants were less likely to have non-task-related thoughts when completing a particular item on their to-do list.
In other words, they were better able to stay focused on the task at hand without getting side-tracked.
Aids problem solving
It could be a tricky work conundrum or an awkward situation that’s developed in your personal life. Sometimes, try as we might, we just can’t find the answers we’re looking for.
According to a study published in 1982, regular meditation practice may improve your ability to problem-solve. The study looked specifically at Transcendental Meditation and found that participants developed verbal problem-solving skills.
Feeling stumped? Turn to meditation.
Makes you a better decision-making
Often find yourself weighing up the pros and cons, never being able to make a choice one way or another? Meditation may give you the clarity you crave. Why so? Because it makes you a more concise decision-maker.
That’s according to researchers who found meditating led to increased decision-making and executive functions in the brain.
No more deliberating over what to order at lunch.
So there you have it: Meditation is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health – and better yet, it’s totally free.
You don’t need any fancy equipment or special training. All you really need is a few spare minutes in your schedule and a willingness to breathe deeply and connect with a deeper part of yourself.
Now that you know just how beneficial meditation can be, it’s time to start your meditation journey. Keep up to date with Meditation Lighthouse for loads of tips on how to do exactly that.
Author - Victoria Stokes
Freelance Writer And Editor - View All Articles
Writer specialising in personal development, wellness, mental health, and women's lifestyle niches. Previously digital and deputy editor of Ireland's biggest women's title STELLAR Magazine and Senior Editor at Ireland's Wedding Journal.
