It is a new year! Have you added meditation to any of your daily tasks? Many people have begun to meditate. It is known to help us in many ways, including lowering chronic pain and anxiety, assisting with brain and heart health, and encouraging mood and immunity improvement.
There are many places and sites to use to help you start and improve your meditation. The New York Times recently released a guide to learn the basics in “How to Meditate.”
As an NYT opinion writer shares that it can be challenging to begin: “I brute-forced it: I made meditation part of my morning routine and made myself stick with it. I started with 10 minutes a day, then built up to 15, 20, then 30. Eventually, something clicked, and the benefits became noticeable and then remarkable.”
Scientific American shared how meditation can also help your brain. Watch for details:
Even more, a study focuses on viewing meditation as a type of treatment for people with cancer and brain tumors. In 2015, the “Mind-Body Practices in Cancer Care” research presentation discusses the physicians’ findings.
Here are some details of what they found:
Overall, mind-body research is finding that these practices have an effect on most systems in the body (e.g., immune, endocrine, neurotransmitters (neuromodulators), and even gene expression to name a few), improving aspects of QOL, and creating fundamental beneficial changes in participant’s lives. Neuroscience studies of mind-body practices show beneficial changes in the brain. The neurological effect of mind-body practices demonstrates the brain’s profound ability to change itself through experience.
One thing they added at the end: “Patients often ask which mind-body program is the best for reducing stress and improving quality of life. The answer is the one they will do every day and make a part of their life.”
Overall, the benefits of conducting meditation daily can help your body throughout and your brain. Have you tried meditation before? Are you planning to try meditation? Let us know in a comment below!