In various cultures around the world, different forms of meditation has been used for centuries to help to calm the mind, boost emotional and physical health, and even to deal with chronic pain and other types of health conditions.

Meditation, and the associated practice of mindfulness, have become buzzwords in both lifestyle and professional development and growth discussions. People of all ages, from kids in school to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, are implementing mindfulness and meditation practices for themselves and throughout their organizations.

It is important to understand that mindfulness and meditation are not the same things. In fact, they are different but complementary practices. Mindfulness is the ability to tune into yourself and what is going on in the world around you in the moment. Meditation is the ability to control your concentration and to train your mind. It takes practice and understanding of the process, and there are several meditation styles and disciplines.

The Science Behind Meditation

Research is now able to demonstrate the impact of meditation in a quantitative way. Thanks to technology that effectively maps brain functioning, chemical reactions in the body, and very specific metabolic factors, researchers can show the benefits of meditation for individuals of all ages.

In neuroscience, the study of the brain and nervous system, research shows that meditating on kindness and love for others triggers activity in the part of the brain responsible for good feelings, love, empathy, and compassion. Even after the individual stopped meditating, these areas of the brain remained active, and people reported feeling positive and loving towards those around them.

In addition to changes in our thoughts about others and our place in the world, meditation has been linked to reducing inflammation in the body. As inflammation is a result of stress, reducing the stress levels helps to decrease the damage caused by inflammation. In some smaller studies, an increase in telomerase, the enzyme that is believed to help extend cell life, was found in those who meditated compared to those who did not.

Mindfulness meditation, or focusing on your breath and your body sensations, is linked to increased neural connections, which in turn provides greater communication between the parts of the brain. In small, early studies into this brain change, increased gray matter density in the brain’s frontal regions is related to better attention and cognitive functioning for those who practice meditation regularly.

Meditation is also effective at deactivating the flight, flight, or freeze reactions of the sympathetic nervous system. By slowing down these responses, individuals became less stressed, anxious, and emotionally reactive.

As research continues, the ability to quantify the benefits of mindfulness and meditation continues to grow. Meditation is a gift you can give yourself in just a few short minutes of practice every day.

It may seem as if meditation and mindfulness are very new concepts, or perhaps New Age concepts, but they are actually ancient practices that date back to about 1500 BCE. The ancient practices were first developed in India, Japan, and China, and are also linked to religions including Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

In Europe, meditation was first introduced in the 1700s. It continued to be a source of interest for scholars and leading thinkers of the time. However, it was not widely known or recognized by the general public. By the 1960s and the 1970s, meditation and mindfulness were utilized without the religious connotations as a way to connect more closely with the universe and the inner being.

Today, science has caught up to these ancient practices and provides some surprising insight into the value of meditation for people of all ages. While there is still a lot of anecdotal information about the value of meditation, there are also some highly respected, peer-reviewed research papers showing the positive impact of choosing to include a regular meditation practice in your daily life.

Increases Resiliency to Stress

One of the issues that have come to light during the COVID-19 pandemic is the importance that resiliency to stress has for individuals. Resiliency is the ability to recover after stressful situations and events. In studies and research in neuroscience, consistent meditation is linked to better connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, allowing the body to move from “flight, fight, and freeze” to problem solving more easily and quickly.

Increases Ability to Solve Problems

Regular mediation is linked to increasing the ability to think outside of the box and to tap into unique options. In studies of groups that meditated on a regular basis and those that did not, problem solving was more diverse and unique with the group reporting regular meditation.

Better Interpersonal Relationships

Individuals who regularly meditate have faster decreases in the stress hormone level cortisol, which spikes during any type of confrontation or when someone is feeling threatened. Lower amounts of cortisol in the body are associated with being able to stay calm and cool and reduce impulsive behaviors that can lead to increased conflict in any relationship.

At the same time, meditation is also linked to increased levels of empathy, which also helps in lowering conflict and building better interpersonal relationships.

Improves Concentration

In a study using the GRE, a general test of verbal reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing, individuals who meditated and used mindfulness for just two weeks had a decrease in mind wandering and an increase in performance on the test in reading-comprehension and questions involving working memory.

There are other research studies on the use of meditation in the management of chronic pain and in self-regulation during addiction recovery treatment. Other studies found a change in the functioning of the brain for improved emotional regulation, positive feelings about self, and better mood control.

The Benefits of Meditation & Why You Can’t Afford Not to Try This Ancient Practice by Wendy Woods

This ancient practice, in addition to managing stress has many health benefits listed below.  You don’t need to become a Buddhist monk or move to India to start meditating.  You can start with as little as 5 minutes a few times a week and gradually increase your time.  There are also guided meditations to make your introduction an easy one since they only require that relax and listen.

Benefits:
* Meditation boosts the immune system (Stein, J. (2003) The Science of Meditation, TIME Magazine)

* Meditation controls high blood pressure at levels comparable to widely used prescription drugs and without the side effects of drugs (Hypertension, AMA Medical Journal)

* Meditators were able to reduce chronic pain by more than 50% even 4 years after completing an 8-week training course (Jon Kabat-Zinn, M.D. Stress Reduction Clinic,University of Massachusetts)

* Meditation may slow aging. A study found that people who had been meditating for more than five years were biologically 12 – 15 years younger than non-meditators (International Journal of Neuroscience, 1992)

* Meditation reduces the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (State University of New York, 2001)

* Meditation offsets the sluggishness of sleep deprivation better than a nap (University of Kentucky)

* Meditation increases in empathy (University of Wisconsin, 2008)