8 Ways To Meditate
Many people choose to meditate to eliminate the stress and emotional upset that life can bring. Having been practised for years, the benefits of meditation have been widely studied. For beginners, and those who thought that meditation was simply about being relaxed, here are 8 ways it can provide a positive impact on the mind.
1. It helps us to be in touch with our emotions
Meditation helps us to focus on the present, which supports our emotional control. While any emotions that we have been resisting can come to the surface during meditation, it can be uncomfortable to deal with in the short term. In the long term, however, we feel more connected to both our own feelings and to others.
2. It reduces anxiety and depression
As meditation helps us to become calmer, we start to feel less anxious. Regular meditation also helps to increase serotonin within the body. An imbalance in serotonin levels is thought to lead to depression. Therefore, if you meditate frequently, your mood will start to lift.
3. It increases our concentration
As meditation involves focusing on our thoughts, it can improve our concentration, alertness and cognition. Practising regular meditation will improve our minds sharpness, increasing our ability to learn and multi-task.
4. It improves creativity
For those who struggle with being creative, learning to meditate will help you to become clearer with your thoughts. Trusting your own instincts builds your personal confidence, allowing you to become open to ideas. Exploring varying meditation techniques will set your thoughts free, as you will be more relaxed in making creative decisions.
5. It allows us to work well under pressure
It’s well known that meditation helps us to become more relaxed. However, it’s not just a short term benefit. Over time, the act of meditation improves our overall brain functioning as it grows physically stronger. In doing so, our state of mind is enhanced, thus, we can react better in stressful or challenging situations.
6. It helps you to stay in the present
Learning how to meditate is learning how to be in the present. As you practise meditation, you will gradually learn to let go of the past, with your emphasis being on how to live for now. This will majorly affect every aspect of your life, including your well-being, personal relationships, and work.
7. It clears your mind
While meditation won’t relive you of your thoughts, you will learn to acknowledge your feelings and be at peace with yourself. You will break free from unhealthy habits and sleep better at night. You’ll understand your thoughts and be assured of the decisions you choose to make.
8. It boosts your immune system
Meditation benefits both the body and mind, alleviating illnesses by giving your immune system a boost. Production of the stress hormone cortisol is also reduced, giving you less ailments and an overall good sense of wellness.
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