What benefits does meditation have on the human body?
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Meditation is commonly known to calm the mind and body. Many have claimed that it has effects on the nervous system, immune system, and neural activity. Is there any scientific truth to these claims?
What is meditation?
Meditation is a practice that unites mind and body taught by a trained professional that is used to increase calmness and relaxation (nccih.nih.gov). It involves quieting the body and mind without distractions, sitting in a comfortable place, opening the mind, and focusing the attention on a specific sensation or thought. Meditation can be done by any person of any experience level.
Meditating to manage high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a common chronic condition that affects many people. It is usually treated with a low sodium diet and antihypertensive medications. A study was done to examine the effects of regular meditation on patients who suffer from hypertension (Schneider & Reangsing, 2019). This study was an extensive literature review of studies done to examine the effects of transcendental meditation on patients who suffer from chronic hypertension. The study concluded that participants exhibited lower blood pressure readings after regular meditation practice. Another benefit is the reduction of side effects. Patients who practiced regular meditation were able to reduce their dosage or eliminate the medication altogether.
Meditation to reduce heart disease
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Additional research has shown that regular meditation can help reduce the symptoms of heart disease (American heart association, 2017). An extensive study showed that participants who practiced regular meditation exhibited possible improvements in their conditions. Those who suffered from myocardial ischemia showed improvements in maximum workload and exercise duration, those who had a history of hypertension showed reduced readings, and carotid wall thickness reduction was found on those who had a history of subclinical antheroschlerosis. Although more research is needed to solidify these claims, the trends all suggest that meditation is beneficial to cardiac health and wellbeing both as a treatment and as a preventative.
Meditation to reduce stress
Mindfulness meditation is a tool that can be used to calm the effects of everyday stressors. Mindfulness meditation consists of two parts: directing one’s attention to the present thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and and accepting those feelings without any judgements before releasing them (APA.org, 2019). This is a powerful coping mechanism that influence the brain’s stress pathways, resulting in less negative emotions and more control. It creates a new habit of focusing on the present, reducing stress and anxiety.
Meditation to improve immunity
Long term chronic stress leads to decreased immunity (Bae, et. el., 2019). When the body is stressed, sympathetic hormones are activated and the body goes into “fight or flight” mode. The chronic excess of stress hormones in the body leads to increased chance of infection, autoimmune disorders or diseases. When meditation is used to control stress and anxiety, the body’s immune system is stronger and less susceptible to disease and illness.
Although the practice of meditation is still currently being researched, most studies show it is beneficial for all body systems and it is beneficial for both the body and the mind. It has no negative side effects, and can be practiced for no cost by all people. It is a valuable tool to improve quality of life and health.
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Hey Abigail! I loved your blog post. It was interesting to see what the research shows about the effectiveness of meditation. I have tried meditation in the past, and it was something I fell out of doing. Having read your post, though, I feel like I should try it again. The fact that it has had positive effects on blood pressure and heart function is extraordinary, and very good to hear! I also like how you linked it all to one of meditations main functions; helping to manage stress. Stress has a lot more effect on us than what we like to believe, and managing it effectively has a lot of benefits to our health. Knowing that, it’s not surprising that meditation is as beneficial as it is, even when it comes to how well our immune system functions!
Hi Abigail!
I enjoyed reading you blog post as this is a topic I am interested in personally! I find meditation has a huge effect on the mind, thus having a major effect on the body. In nursing school we learn about the mind body connection and holistic medicine. I find that meditation can be a really effective way to calm yourself and de-stress. Stress has major negative impacts on the body and meditation is a easy and simple way to address this. As you discussed here, meditation has a direct correlation to the management of high blood pressure and heart disease. Life can be really stressful, it is important to take a break and focus on your health. Your blog post shows that meditation is the perfect way to handle this!
Hi Abigail!
Your post was very informative and made me want to start meditating given all of the benefits. The research and benefits were clearly stated and made me as the reader curious to keep reading. Stress is a killer in every sense of the word. It was helpful to know how this can have added physical health benefits and not just cognitive and mental health benefits as well. Great job! Now I need to go meditate!!