Meditation is thought to have started in India a few thousand years ago. The word comes from the Latin “meditatum,” which means “ponder.” It provides a time for people to relax and ponder their emotions and feelings and learn how to control them. Today, many successful people meditate and they say that it is an important component in their success. People meditate to reduce stress, develop the ability to focus, and keep a positive outlook on life. Continue reading to learn the top nine reasons why you should start meditation today.
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Why You Should Start Meditation?
1. Reduce Stress
Although there are a lot of different reasons to start meditation today, the fact that it helps reduce your stress is one of the most important. Stress causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol, which leads to all kinds of physical problems including high blood pressure, insomnia, abdominal fat, muscle fatigue, anxiety, and more.
You can sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and start paying attention to your breathing. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by outside activities and keep focusing on your breathing. If you notice stressful thoughts, allow them while still breathing. Continue for about ten minutes with your eyes closed and when you finish, open your eyes and see how you feel.
2. Improve Your Focus
Some people use meditation as a method to improve their ability to focus for longer periods of time. The science behind this is that meditation is said to stimulate your prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for controlling your social behavior, making decisions, planning, focusing, and your personality.
For this type of meditation, sit cross-legged on the floor with your back straight. Keep your eyes open and sit three feet away from an object that you can look at. Stay relaxed and focus on the object. It could be a flower or a spot on the wall. After five minutes, close your eyes and relax for a few minutes. Open your eyes, and you should feel relaxed and more focused.
3. Improve Your Memory
Another benefit of meditation is that you can improve your memory. It increases neuroplasticity in your brain, which is what allows your brain to adapt to and retain new experiences. Some researchers also say that meditation increases the thickness of the brain matter in your hippocampus, which is where cognition and memory take place.
For this meditation, you can sit cross-legged, close your eyes, relax, let thoughts come into your mind, and stay there.
4. Help you Manage Pain
Many people turn to meditation to manage their chronic pain. The basic idea is that by taking your attention off of the pain, you can reduce it.
You can use visualization meditation in this case. Sit on the floor cross-legged and close your eyes. Focus on the black screen of the back of your eyelids. During this time, mentally paint works of art. You can start with a simple object such as a banana. Imagine all of the details of the banana peel and the differences in coloring throughout. Continue for around 15 minutes and then open your eyes. You can use this technique whenever chronic pain is acting up.
5. Help you Sleep Better
Meditation can help you relax and prepare for a good night’s sleep. In addition to helping you fall asleep more quickly, you will have better-quality sleep all night. If you have ever slept for many hours and awakened feeling exhausted, you understand why it is important to have quality sleep.
You can lie down on your bed, close your eyes, and inhale and exhale slowly and methodically. As thoughts come into your mind, let them go and stay focused on your breathing. Continue for around five minutes and you will be ready to fall asleep.
6. Increase Your Energy Levels
Another benefit of meditation is that it can increase your energy levels. If you practice meditation regularly, you will benefit from this practice. You can sit or lie down and relax all of the muscles in your body. Start with your feet and slowly move all the way up to your head, relaxing every muscle in your body. Take slow deep breaths to slow your heart rate. When you relax your muscles in this way, it reduces the amount of oxygen you need. This process allows more energy to be available.
7. Become More Self-Aware
It is hard to maintain self-awareness in this fast-paced world. With communication and technology being constant, we can forget to take time to be alone with ourselves. When you start meditating, you will spend this time alone with yourself. You don’t have other distractions, so you can hear your own thoughts and connect with your true self. It can help you become calm and more comfortable in your own skin.
You can use basic meditation techniques where you sit still and focus on your breathing with your eyes closed. Listen to your thoughts as they occur. Take this time to learn more about yourself.
8. Help You Control Your Emotions
If you find that your emotions get the best of you, meditation can help. You can consider how you are feeling and let your deepest thoughts come to the surface during this exercise. Relax and take deep breaths while you allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. Don’t try to push the emotions away, but try to understand what is causing them. You will be able to express your emotions in a more calm and controlled way when you practice this type of meditation.
9. Help You Fight the Aging Process
The aging process is going to happen to everyone, but you can control how quickly or slowly it has its effects. When you live a busy life, experience a lot of stress, and skip your sleep, the aging process speeds up.
When you take the time to meditate, you will reduce your stress and sleep better at night. Making these changes alone will help you to fight to age and let your body have the time it needs to recover and rejuvenate.
Final Thoughts
There are many different benefits to meditation and it is a natural, free way for you to improve your quality of life and your health. Add meditation into your routine today to see what it can do for you.
Here we find some great soft music for you to start the meditation.
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