MEDITATION BENEFITS FOR HEALTH; EFFECTS OF MEDITATION ON BRAIN.
In our society, everyone is so conscious about how important it is to keep your body fit; we visit the gym frequently in order to build a fit and healthy body. Just as visiting the gym helps us achieve a fit and healthy body, frequent meditation enables us to have a healthy mind.
A question is asked, what does it mean to meditate? Meditation simply means focusing the mind of a particular thought or activity on order to be mentally clear and emotionally calm. You can mediate by sitting or lying down comfortably; you can meditate by closing your eyes and making no effort to control your breath, you just breathe naturally and focus on how your body moves while you breathe in and out. Whichever way you choose to adopt, meditation has a lot of health benefits.
It enhances the immune system. Research shows that a meditation habit can strengthen the immune system in the body and increase brain performance in the form of electrical activity. Let?s say you got so busy with work that you hardly have time to relax; it makes you forget to focus on yourself. Since meditation is a form of relaxation, failure to mediate might expose you to the risk of feeling a run-down and getting sick.
Again, mediation controls a person?s blood pressure. There is no doubt that stress is one of the major causes of high blood pressure. And study has shown that when we meditate, our stress level decreases and the systems within our body begin to normalise including our blood pressure.
On the effects of meditation on the brain;
First, Mediation has a way of reducing stress. You know that moment when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, mediation will incredibly sure the stress and anxiety you feel. Stress and anxiety happens when we feel we can?t handle the pressures and adverse situations of everyday life. We tend to have a hard time trying to figure out which task is actually essential and the one that is not. We feel that way because we think we are supposed to respond to all of the pressures and demands life throws at us.? This is where mediation provides relief. It gives our brain space to sort out which task demands our energy and attention. That way, it helps us set our priorities right.
Secondly, meditation improves a person?s sense of well-being. Study shows that when we mediate, it causes the pituitary gland in our brain to secrete endorphins that help elevate our mood. It increases our positive energy which naturally makes us more pleasant around others.
Furthermore, there is no doubt that meditation increases one?s ability to be creative. Meditation offers us a chance to tap into the abundant creative energy in us. For example, as a writer, there are some days I am stuck, so stuck that I have no idea what to write. Most people call it ?the writer?s block?. It?s just as if your brain is totally blank. On days like that, I find a quiet place to settle and do some meditation and it has always being very helpful.
Meditation equally increases one?s cognition and ability to perform tasks requiring focus. There is no doubt that in a society that emphasises on multitasking and success, it can be difficult to focus on one task at the expense of all others. Learning to meditate frequently can increase your ability to focus which can trigger off creativity and reduce the stressassociated with handling more than one task at once. When this is achieved, it can also help you improve your ability to make decisions.
The importance of mediation cannot be overemphasized. Going to the gym is not the only way to take care of your body. In addition to that, mediate frequently. You will be amazed at how a simple daily meditation practice can affect your life so powerfully.