12 Ways Meditation Can Make You Smarter, Happier, and Healthier.

By Barbara LongueBlog
Stress/Anxiety/Emotional Health/Self-Attention/Attention Span/Memory/Kindness/Addiction/Sleep/Pain/Blood Pressure/Accessibility/Takeaway
Meditation is often seen as a way to reduce stress and anxiety, but it can also improve your mood, promote healthy sleep patterns, and enhance cognitive abilities.
Meditation is the practice of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.
The popularity of meditation is on the rise as more people discover its many health benefits.
It can help you learn more about yourself and your environment. Many see it as a way to manage stress and increase focus.
This practice is also used to cultivate other beneficial habits and emotions like a positive mood and outlook, willpower, healthy sleep patterns, and even increased pain tolerance.
This article explores 12 health benefits of meditation.

1. Reduce Stress

Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people turn to meditation.
Over time, physiological indicators of stress, like increased cortisol and heart rate, can impact everything from sleep to blood pressure.
A 2017 review of 45 studies showed various forms of meditation can help lower these physiological markers of stress.
Other research suggests meditation can also improve symptoms of conditions affected by stress, including:
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Fibromyalgia

2. Controls Anxiety

Meditation can reduce stress levels, which in turn leads to less anxiety.
A 2014 meta-analysis involving nearly 1,300 adults found that meditation might decrease anxiety, particularly in individuals with the highest levels of anxiety.
Another study showed that eight weeks of mindfulness meditation reduced anxiety symptoms in people with generalised anxiety disorder, increased positive self-statements, and improved stress reactivity and coping.
Meditation can also help manage work-related anxiety. One study found that employees who used a mindfulness meditation app for eight weeks reported improved feelings of relaxation and reduced stress and strain compared to a control group.

3. Supports Emotional Health

Some forms of meditation can lead to an improved self-image and a more positive outlook on life.
For example, one review involving over 3,500 adults found that mindfulness meditation improved symptoms of depression.
A 2015 study showed that participants who engaged in meditation exercises had fewer negative thoughts when exposed to negative images compared to a control group.

4. Enhances Self-Awareness