What Meditation Can Do For You Meditation has been practiced in diverse ways by far-ranging groups of people since prehistoric times. It’s even been suggested that the capacity to focus energy, a practiced closely linked to many forms of that meditation, contributed to the evolution of humankind. A ubiquitous practice, meditation is distinctly human, a practice connecting people across a broad spectrum. Though often associated with tranquility, sober escape, and religious implication, meditation also works to sharpen the mind, palliate the soul, and preserve the body. Below are eight ways in which meditation can improve your health. Meditation: Hones concentration. With television, advertisements, dense traffic and the internet pervading everyday life, many of us are wrought in a world in which distractions are constantly vying for our attention in all different directions. It’s difficult to focus through all of the noise now more than ever. Meditation has been shown to improve concentration and connect people with their inner source of energy. Benefits cardiovascular and immune health. Meditating engenders relaxation, broadening the blood vessels and dropping blood pressure. Improves self-awareness. Meditation involves reflection and inner focus. Examining ourselves critically is difficult, but crucial in understanding of our thoughts and feelings and in turn, our ability to connect with others. Meditation provides a tempered platform for people to achieve peace with themselves. Slows aging. Meditation has been shown to alter the brain physiology to abate aging. Meditators typically have more brain cells than non-meditators, and better preserved cognition. Helps Manage Stress. To cope with stress, many turn to alcohol, cigarettes, or even violence. The use of anti-anxiety medication is steadfast on the rise as the world drifts farther and farther away from it’s age-old traditions. Meditation has long been known to alleviate stress and comes from within, teaching us to take our peace into our own hands without the use of external devices such as medication or alcohol, which come with both adverse health effects and a price tag.

Encourages happiness. Studies have indicated that meditation increases brain signaling in the region of the brain associated with positive feelings, and reduces it in the region associated with negative emotions. Promotes a healthy lifestyle. An inherently natural practice, meditation often inspires a deeper connection with what’s wholesome and good. It’s common for people to improve several spheres of their health after making an effort in just one. Many drop the vices of alcohol, smoking, and junk food upon meditation a part of their lifestyle.

Instills acceptance. Meditation allows us to clear our minds and examine life without imposition of our attached emotions. Abandoning the selfishness of our emotions aids in acceptance of our situations.