Top 10 Benefits of Meditation

Meditation provides numerous benefits to its practitioners. You may be familiar with the potential mental and spiritual benefits of meditation, but there are many physical and social benefits as well. We’ll cover the top 10 mental, physical and social benefits of meditation and how they work to improve your overall wellbeing.

Physical Benefits of meditation

Immune System
Meditation supports your immune system by providing a healthy environment in which it can flourish. In the 1980’s researchers found a link between mental attitude and immune system function. The act of meditation can improve your antibody function and stimulates immune system regions in the brain.

Blood Pressure
Meditation reduces stress and anxiety, so it makes sense that it would reduce blood pressure as well. When you’re relaxed, you’re less likely to succumb to stress and worry, which will help keep your blood pressure down too.

Breathing
A big part of successful meditation is proper breathing, and many forms of meditation include mindful breathing exercises. Awareness of your rate of breathing and breath placement, in addition to the regular, slow breath meditation requires helps to slow your body down. It can also aid those with asthma or other issues when they practice meditative breathing.

Heart Rate
Meditation can also lower your heart rate through the same physical processes as breathing, which is great for people with high anxiety or heart problems. After a relaxing meditation session, you’ll definitely notice that you have a slow steady heartbeat.

Mental benefits of meditation

Focus
Meditation can help increase focus and concentration, but it need not be intensive for someone to reap the benefits. Even occasional practice can help improve brain function and recall, and aid you in ignoring outside distractions. Meditation can be a real boon for those with attention disorders, as it helps stop racing or unwanted thought while you focus on clearing your mind.

Resilience
Resilience means that you can bounce back from adversity, and do so faster than the average person. This happens because meditation works to reduce stress, which means that you’ll be more ready to face all of life’s challenges as they come at you.

Stress, Worry & Anxiety
Meditation slows the body down and can remove the physical symptoms of stress, such as lowering heart rate and blood pressure. When those physical symptoms are reduced, it’s easier to slow a racing mind too.

Relaxation
Most of those who meditate report a having a greater sense of wellbeing and peace in their lives. Meditation slows the body and the mind, leaving you relaxed and ready for anything life could throw your way.

Social benefits to meditation

Positive Environment
Meditation classes, courses or groups provide a safe, forgiving and positive environment, especially for those suffering from social anxiety. People who practice meditation are among the kindest individuals you will ever meet. They are warm, welcoming and non-judgmental. Plus, since mediation is an inwardly focused activity, so you needn’t fear being put on the spot.

Loneliness
If you can find a great meditation center, you can make great friends and meaningful connections with other likeminded individuals. Practicing alone can decrease feelings of loneliness too. Meditation can give you a sense of completeness and enhanced self-esteem, so being alone might not be such a big deal anymore.

If you’re looking for meditation courses or classes in Cork so you can reap the benefits too, get in touch today