Meditation affects the body in exactly the opposite ways that stress does—by triggering the body's relaxation response. It restores the body to a calm state, helping the body repair itself and preventing new damage from the physical effects of stress. It can calm your mind and body by quieting the stress-induced thoughts that keep your body's stress response triggered. There is an element of more direct physical relaxation involved in meditation as well, obviously, so this double dose of relaxation can really be helpful for shrugging off stress.
A greater gain that meditation can bring is the long-term resilience that can come with regular practice. Research has shown that those who practice meditation regularly begin to experience changes in their response to stress that allow them to recover from stressful situations more easily and experience less stress from the challenges they face in their everyday lives. Some of this is thought to be the result of the increase in positive mood that can come from meditation; research shows that those who experience positive moods more often are more resilient toward stress.
The practice of learning to refocus your thoughts can also help you redirect yourself when you fall into negative thinking patterns, which in itself can help relieve stress. Meditation offers several solutions in one simple activity. The benefits of meditation are great because, among other things, it can reverse your stress response, thereby shielding you from the effects of chronic stress. People who meditate regularly find it easier to give up life-damaging habits like smoking, drinking, and drugs.
It helps many people connect to a place of inner strength. Numerous studies have found that, in diverse populations, meditation can minimize stress and build resilience.
Below we compare mediation to other methods of stress reduction:. You can learn many effective meditation techniques from a book or from the meditation resources right here on Verywell.
An experienced teacher can be helpful but isn't absolutely necessary. Ultimately, if you can focus on your breath, on the present moment, or on any one thing for a while, you can now meditate. It does often take some practice, however, and some people find it difficult to "get it" in the beginning.
Meditation also requires a little patience and may be difficult for people with little free time like some stay-at-home mothers who get very little privacy from small children. However, the time and effort it takes to learn and practice is well worth it in terms of the benefits it provides. Keep these four things in mind when you begin your mediation practice. Consistent practice matters more than long practice. This means that it's better to meditate for five minutes, six times per week than for 30 minutes once a week.
The former can calm your body's stress response several times in a week, while the latter may calm your body into a deeper state of relaxation, but it will only reverse your stress response once. In addition, you are more likely to stick with a regular meditation practice if you can start with short, daily sessions than if you feel you need to find time for longer sessions in order to practice.
It is more likely that this self-imposed pressure will lead to you not finding time for it, then losing the motivation to try. Regular practice matters more than "perfect" practice. This means that, rather than concerning yourself too much about what position to sit in, what technique to try when you sit, how long to sit, or what time of day, you should just sit and meditate.
The rest will fall into place if you just begin, but if you feel the need to work these details out before you can start, you may find it more challenging to get started. If you notice your mind wandering, that's good. Meditation can be challenging for some people, particularly perfectionists. We sometimes fall into the trap of wanting to do it "right" and becoming frustrated with ourselves when our mind drifts off.
The thing to remember is that if you notice this happening, that's a good thing—you noticed. Noticing and redirecting your thoughts back to the focus of your meditation your breath, the present moment, or whatever you are choosing as your focus is the real point of meditation. It's virtually impossible to prevent your mind from wandering anyway. Even long-time meditation practitioners find it challenging.
Your perception of pain is connected to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions. Some research suggests that incorporating meditation into your routine could be beneficial for controlling pain. For example, one review of 38 studies concluded that mindfulness meditation could reduce pain, improve quality of life, and decrease symptoms of depression in people with chronic pain A large meta-analysis of studies enrolling nearly 3, participants concluded that meditation was associated with decreased pain Meditators and non-meditators experienced the same causes of pain, but meditators showed a greater ability to cope with pain and even experienced a reduced sensation of pain.
Meditation can diminish the perception of pain in the brain. This may help treat chronic pain when used to supplement medical care or physical therapy.
Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function. High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or a narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. A meta-analysis of 12 studies enrolling nearly participants found that meditation helped reduce blood pressure. This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study One review concluded that several types of meditation produced similar improvements in blood pressure Blood pressure decreases not only during meditation but also over time in individuals who meditate regularly.
This can reduce strain on the heart and arteries, helping prevent heart disease. You can practice with just a few minutes daily. If you want to start meditating, try choosing a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it. To find out which styles you like best, check out the variety of free, guided meditation exercises offered by the University of California Los Angeles. If your regular work and home environments do not allow for consistent, quiet alone time, consider participating in a class.
This can also improve your chances of success by providing a supportive community. Alternatively, consider setting your alarm a few minutes early to take advantage of quiet time in the morning. This may help you develop a consistent habit and allow you to start the day positively.
Trying out a style of meditation suited to your goals is a great way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.
There's no right or wrong way to meditate. Discover the technique that's right for you. Meditation won't cure depression overnight, but it can be more beneficial than you think. Looking into meditation for pain management?
It does work for some people. Mantra meditation is a meditation approach that uses the repetition of phrases mantras to promote focus and intention. Looking to up your meditation game? Try adding a little visualization into the mix. Restlessness course. Learn to work with a restless mind more skillfully. Transforming Anger course. Connect with anger and use it to train your mind. Navigating Change course.
Train your mind to be more comfortable with change. Feeling Overwhelmed meditation. Give yourself room to breathe. Burned Out meditation. Step away from worried thoughts. Panicking meditation. Anchor your mind and body in the present. Flustered meditation. Bring an unsettled mind back to the subject at hand. In Pain meditation. Change your relationship to physical pain. Stress Release workout. Step away from stress and into the moment. Unwind meditation. Lead your mind to a natural place of rest.
Restore meditation. Let go of any tension or busyness in the mind. Frustrated meditation. Let go of tension and find a little peace of mind. Stressed meditation. This experience of the peace and bliss of unity modifies the inner faculty. The properties of the deep inner Self begin to extend into the inner faculty, and since the deep inner Self is the source of all knowledge which correlates with DNA on the physical level , the benefits of this process extend to all aspects of life - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.
During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall. These include stress reduction,[ 1 , 2 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ] decreased anxiety,[ 1 , 17 , 19 , 21 , 22 ] decreased depression,[ 1 , 17 , 18 , 23 , 24 ] reduction in pain both physical and psychological ,[ 2 , 25 , 26 ] improved memory,[ 2 , 27 ] and increased efficiency.
Meditation increases regional cerebral blood flow in the frontal and anterior cingulate regions of the brain,[ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ] increases efficiency in the brain's executive attentional network,[ 12 , 28 , 29 , 30 ] and increases electroencephalogram EEG coherence. Meditation decreases sympathetic overstimulation[ 53 , 54 ] and reduces cholesterol[ 55 , 56 , 57 ] and smoking. There was also a significant drop in blood pressure and significant reduction in psychosocial stress factors.
Research has shown that a program of comprehensive lifestyle changes including vegetarian diet and stress management - meditation and breathing exercises improved health and modulated gene expression in prostate cancer patients who were not treated with surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy. This 3-month study showed changes in more than genes: 48 genes were up-regulated and genes were down-regulated. The down-regulated genes included disease-promoting genes with critical roles in tumorigenesis.
Telomerase is the enzyme responsible for protecting and maintaining the length of telomeres, the protective caps at the end of chromosomes that promote chromosomal stability.
Shorter telomeres are associated with accelerated aging and related diseases. Chronic stress reduces telomerase activity and accelerates telomere shortening and premature aging. Meditation, as described in the ancient Vedic texts, is an exercise of consciousness that results in the expansion of consciousness beyond the day-to-day experience of duality.
It is an experience of unity, which reduces stress and brings increased creativity and efficiency to the functioning of the inner faculty. This is an exercise that occurs without the mind directing the process.
In physical exercise, the mind does not tell the muscles to get stronger; rather, the muscles are strengthened automatically by the exercise process. Likewise, in this exercise of consciousness, that is, meditation, the results are achieved automatically, not by controlling the mind or any other mental manipulation.
The process of meditation goes beyond the mind to the deepest level of the inner Self. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Ayu v. Hari Sharma.
Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Address for correspondence: Dr. E-mail: ude. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Keywords: Ayurveda, consciousness, meditation, Veda.
Introduction The practice of meditation has become popular in many Western nations, especially the USA. The process of meditation To truly understand meditation, one has to understand how the human being is viewed by Vedic science - the knowledge of the Vedic texts of ancient India. This consists of: Mind: Processes sensory perceptions; has the quality of duality, as seen in pairs of opposites, for example, pleasure and pain, good and bad, hot and cold, etc.
Intellect: Analyzes, discriminates, decides, and judges Ego: Doer and experiencer Chitta : The storehouse of all memories and impressions of life Deep inner Self: The nonchanging pure consciousness, which has the quality of unity and witnesses the activity of the inner faculty. Human beings routinely experience three states of consciousness: Waking Dreaming Deep sleep. Effects of Meditation During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall.
Conclusion Meditation, as described in the ancient Vedic texts, is an exercise of consciousness that results in the expansion of consciousness beyond the day-to-day experience of duality.
Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest. References 1. Systematic review of the efficacy of meditation techniques as treatments for medical illness.
J Altern Complement Med. Horowitz S. Health benefits of meditation. Altern Complement Ther. Fortney L, Taylor M. Meditation in medical practice: A review of the evidence and practice.
Prim Care. Aurobindo S. Pondicherry, India: Sri Aurobindo Ashram; The Upanishads: Texts, Translations and Commentaries. Gambhirananda S. Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama; Brahma-Sutra-Bhasya of Sri Sankaracharya. Wadhwa A, Wadhwa D. Haridwar, India: Akhand Param Dham; Saraswati SM. Munger, India: Bihar School of Yoga; Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
0コメント