Pros of meditation
12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.
The popularity of meditation is increasing as more people discover its many health benefits.
You can use it to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration.
People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns, and even increased pain tolerance.
This article reviews 12 health benefits of meditation.
Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people try meditation.
One review concluded that meditation lives up to its reputation for stress reduction (1).
Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.
These effects can disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure, and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking.
In an 8-week study, a meditation style called “mindfulness meditation” reduced the inflammation response caused by stress (2).
Furthermore, research has shown that meditation may also improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fibromyalgia (3, 4, 5).
SummaryMany styles of meditation can help reduce stress. Meditation can likewise reduce symptoms in people with stress-triggered medical conditions.
Meditation can reduce stress levels, which translates to less anxiety.
A meta-analysis including nearly 1,300 adults found that meditation may decrease anxiety. Notably, this effect was strongest in those with the highest levels of anxiety (6).
Also, one study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increasing positive self-statements and improving stress reactivity and coping (7).
Another study in 47 people with chronic pain found that completing an 8-week meditation program led to noticeable improvements in depression, anxiety, and pain over 1 year (8).
What’s more, some research suggests that a variety of mindfulness and meditation exercises may reduce anxiety levels (9).
For example, yoga has been shown to help people reduce anxiety. This is likely due to benefits from both meditative practice and physical activity (10).
Meditation may also help control job-related anxiety. One study found that employees who used a mindfulness meditation app for 8 weeks experienced improved feelings of well-being and decreased distress and job strain, compared with those in a control group (11).
SummaryHabitual meditation can help reduce anxiety and improve stress reactivity and coping skills.
Some forms of meditation can lead to improved self-image and a more positive outlook on life.
For example, one review of treatments given to more than 3,500 adults found that mindfulness meditation improved symptoms of depression (12).
Similarly, a review of 18 studies showed that people receiving meditation therapies experienced reduced symptoms of depression, compared with those in a control group (13).
Another study found that people who completed a meditation exercise experienced fewer negative thoughts in response to viewing negative images, compared with those in a control group (14).
Furthermore, inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which are released in response to stress, can affect mood, leading to depression. A review of several studies suggests meditation may also reduce depression by decreasing levels of these inflammatory chemicals (15).
SummarySome forms of meditation can improve depression and reduce negative thoughts. It may also decrease levels of inflammatory cytokines, which could contribute to depression.
Some forms of meditation may help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself, helping you grow into your best self.
For example, self-inquiry meditation explicitly aims to help you develop a greater understanding of yourself and how you relate to those around you.
Other forms teach you to recognize thoughts that may be harmful or self-defeating. The idea is that as you gain greater awareness of your thought habits, you can steer them toward more constructive patterns (16, 17, 18).
One review of 27 studies showed that practicing tai chi may be associated with improved self-efficacy, which is a term used to describe a person’s belief in their own capacity or ability to overcome challenges (19).
In another study, 153 adults who used a mindfulness meditation app for 2 weeks experienced reduced feelings of loneliness and increased social contact compared with those in a control group (20).
Additionally, experience in meditation may cultivate more creative problem-solving skills (21).
SummarySelf-inquiry and related styles of meditation can help you “know yourself.
” This can be a starting point for making other positive changes.
Focused-attention meditation is like weight lifting for your attention span. It helps increase the strength and endurance of your attention.
For example, one study found that people who listened to a meditation tape experienced improved attention and accuracy while completing a task, compared with those in a control group (22).
A similar study showed that people who regularly practiced meditation performed better on a visual task and had a greater attention span than those without any meditation experience (23).
Moreover, one review concluded that meditation may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying, and poor attention (24).
Even meditating for a short period each day may benefit you. One study found that meditating for just 13 minutes daily enhanced attention and memory after 8 weeks (25).
SummarySeveral types of meditation may build your ability to redirect and maintain attention.
Improvements in attention and clarity of thinking may help keep your mind young.
Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive motion of the fingers to focus your thoughts. Studies in people with age-related memory loss have shown it improves performance on neuropsychological tests (26).
Furthermore, a review found preliminary evidence that multiple meditation styles can increase attention, memory, and mental quickness in older volunteers (27).
In addition to fighting normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia. It can likewise help control stress and improve coping in those caring for family members with dementia (28, 29).
SummaryThe improved focus you can gain through regular meditation may boost your memory and mental clarity. These benefits can help fight age-related memory loss and dementia.
Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward yourself and others.
Metta, a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward yourself.
Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness externally, first to friends, then acquaintances, and ultimately enemies.
A meta-analysis of 22 studies on this form of meditation demonstrated its ability to increase peoples’ compassion toward themselves and others (30).
One study in 100 adults randomly assigned to a program that included loving-kindness meditation found that these benefits were dose-dependent.
In other words, the more time people spent in weekly metta meditation practice, the more positive feelings they experienced (31).
Another study in 50 college students showed that practicing metta meditation 3 times per week improved positive emotions, interpersonal interactions, and understanding of others after 4 weeks (32).
These benefits also appear to accumulate over time with the practice of loving-kindness meditation (33).
SummaryMetta, or loving-kindness meditation, is a practice of developing positive feelings, first toward yourself and then toward others. Metta increases positivity, empathy, and compassionate behavior toward others.
The mental discipline you can develop through meditation may help you break dependencies by increasing your self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviors (34).
Research has shown that meditation may help people learn to redirect their attention, manage their emotions and impulses, and increase their understanding of the causes behind their (35, 36).
One study in 60 people receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder found that practicing transcendental meditation was associated with lower levels of stress, psychological distress, alcohol cravings, and alcohol use after 3 months (37).
Meditation may also help you control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating (38).
SummaryMeditation develops mental awareness and can help you manage triggers for unwanted impulses. This can help you recover from addiction, manage unhealthy eating, and redirect other unwanted habits.
Nearly half of the population will struggle with insomnia at some point.
One study compared mindfulness-based meditation programs and found that people who meditated stayed asleep longer and had improved insomnia severity, compared with those who had an unmedicated control condition (39).
Becoming skilled in meditation may help you control or redirect the racing or runaway thoughts that often lead to insomnia.
Additionally, it can help relax your body, releasing tension and placing you in a peaceful state in which you’re more likely to fall asleep.
SummaryA variety of meditation techniques can help you relax and control runaway thoughts that can interfere with sleep. This can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and increase sleep quality.
Your perception of pain is connected to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions.
Some research suggests that incorporating meditation into your routine could be beneficial for controlling pain.
For example, one review of 38 studies concluded that mindfulness meditation could reduce pain, improve quality of life, and decrease symptoms of depression in people with chronic pain (40).
A large meta-analysis of studies enrolling nearly 3,500 participants concluded that meditation was associated with decreased pain (41).
Meditators and non-meditators experienced the same causes of pain, but meditators showed a greater ability to cope with pain and even experienced a reduced sensation of pain.
SummaryMeditation can diminish the perception of pain in the brain. This may help treat chronic pain when used to supplement medical care or physical therapy.
Meditation can also improve physical health by reducing strain on the heart.
Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function.
High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or a narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
A meta-analysis of 12 studies enrolling nearly 1000 participants found that meditation helped reduce blood pressure. This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study (42).
One review concluded that several types of meditation produced similar improvements in blood pressure (43).
In part, meditation appears to control blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate heart function, blood vessel tension, and the “fight-or-flight” response that increases alertness in stressful situations (44).
SummaryBlood pressure decreases not only during meditation but also over time in individuals who meditate regularly. This can reduce strain on the heart and arteries, helping prevent heart disease.
People practice many different forms of meditation, most of which don’t require specialized equipment or space. You can practice with just a few minutes daily.
If you want to start meditating, try choosing a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it.
There are two major styles of meditation:
- Focused-attention meditation. This style concentrates attention on a single object, thought, sound, or visualization. It emphasizes ridding your mind of distractions. Meditation may focus on breathing, a mantra, or calming sound.
- Open-monitoring meditation. This style encourages broadened awareness of all aspects of your environment, train of thought, and sense of self. It may include becoming aware of suppressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses.
To find out which styles you like best, check out the variety of free, guided meditation exercises offered by the University of California Los Angeles.
It’s an excellent way to try different styles and find one that suits you.
If your regular work and home environments do not allow for consistent, quiet alone time, consider participating in a class. This can also improve your chances of success by providing a supportive community.
Alternatively, consider setting your alarm a few minutes early to take advantage of quiet time in the morning. This may help you develop a consistent habit and allow you to start the day positively.
SummaryIf you’re interested in incorporating meditation into your routine, try a few different styles and consider guided exercises to get started with one that suits you.
Meditation is something everyone can do to improve their mental and emotional health.
You can do it anywhere, without special equipment or memberships.
Alternatively, meditation courses and support groups are widely available.
There’s a great variety of styles too, each with different strengths and benefits.
Trying out a style of meditation suited to your goals is a great way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.
10 Science-Backed Benefits Of Meditation – Forbes Health
When feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or stress, it can be hard to ground yourself or focus on a task. Although stress and anxiety are normal—and biologically necessary responses in certain situations—experiencing them on a regular basis can pose a risk to your health.
Meditation, though, can help. Read on to learn more about what meditation is and what health benefits it can provide.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Partner Offers feature brands who paid Forbes Health to appear at the top of our list. While this may influence where their products or services appear on our site, it in no way affects our ratings, which are based on thorough research, solid methodologies and expert advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services
Manage Your Stress And Anxiety with Sensa
- Mobile app built upon the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Quick relief exercises and weekly assessments to reflect on your progress
- Daily guidance to overcome stress and anxiety through carefully tailored content
- Track your mood in a mood journal to analyze the patterns and eliminate certain stressors
- Join the over 50,000 happy users currently on Sensa's app
Get Started
On Sensa's Website
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is a mind-body practice in which your attention is focused on being mindful of the present, your breath and your mind to promote awareness, cultivate wellbeing and reduce stress and anxiety.
It comes in many forms and can be practiced almost anywhere, so long as you can be aware of your body and surroundings. Types of meditation vary throughout each person’s practice and can include breathing-based meditation, mindfulness practices, nature-based visualization, mantra and spiritual meditation. Meditation can be practiced alone, in a group or with a coach or therapist.
“There is no right or wrong way to do meditation. Any activity can be meditative if we’re fully present,” says Sarah Meyer Tapia, a meditation coach, associate director of Health & Human Performance and head of Wellness Education at Stanford University. “Meditation is to be present and know what we are doing, while we are doing it.”
Meditation tends to be something we feel we have to make time for, she adds, and instead, recommends taking as little or as much time as your mental energy allows to pivot away from distractions.
If a meditation practice feels out of reach, Meyer Tapia suggests asking yourself when and where you feel peace, comfort, joy, clarity, creativity or focus.
For some, this might be while taking a shower, going for a walk or playing with their pet.
“When we think of all the outcomes of meditation that we’re looking for, look for where that exists already in your life, because almost all of us have some window somewhere,” she says.
What aspect of your health are you planning on prioritizing in 2023?
My physical health
50%
My mental health
40%
My oral health
9%
Health Benefits of Meditation
Mediation can improve your quality of life thanks to its many psychological and physical benefits. Here are 10 science-backed benefits of mediation:
Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-based interventions, such as meditation, have been shown to improve mental health, specifically in the area of stress, according to a study in the Clinical Psychology Review[1]Spijkerman, M.P.J. Pots, W.T.M. Bohlmeijer, E.T. Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health: A review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review. Volume 45. 2016; 102-114. . When faced with a difficult or stressful moment, our bodies create cortisol, the steroid hormone responsible for regulating stress and our natural fight-or-flight response, among many other functions. Chronic stress can cause sustained and elevated levels of cortisol, which can lead to other negative effects on your health, including cardiovascular and immune systems and gut health. Meditation, which focuses on calming the mind and regulating emotion, can help to reduce chronic stress in the body and lower the risk of its side effects.
Feeling Anxious or Stressed?
Explore the huge library of mindfulness, sleep, and insight content to live life more mindfully. In just a few minutes each day, you can build your resilience towards stress & anxiety.
Try Calm For Free
Anxiety Management
Mediation can help counter the effects of anxiety—often noted as overwhelming feelings of fear, worry and tension—by slowing down racing thoughts and regulating breathing, which calms the nervous system. Physical symptoms of anxiety can include sweating, dizziness or a rapid heart rate, caused by overthinking past or future outcomes. People with anxiety who regularly practiced meditation over the course of three years saw positive, long-term impacts on their mental health, according to a study in General Hospital Psychiatry[2]Miller, JJ. Fletcher, K. Kabat-Zinn, J. Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. General Hospital Psychiatry.
1995;17(3):192-200. .
Depression Management
Meditation can also help reduce the symptoms of depression through mindfulness and emotional regulation. One study observing individuals on a three-month-long yoga and meditation retreat found that participants showed significant improvements in depression after the retreat, as well as enhanced stress resilience and wellbeing[3]Cahn, BR. Goodman, MS. Peterson, CT. Maturi, R, et al. Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2017;11. .
Lowers Blood Pressure
Hypertension—also known as high blood pressure—is estimated to affect one billion people worldwide and about half the people in the U.
S[4]Goldstein, C. Josephson, R. Xie, S. et al. Current Perspectives on the Use of Meditation to Reduce Blood Pressure. International journal of hypertension. 2012. . Meditation has been noted to potentially provide promising results in decreasing high blood pressure, especially when paired with healthy lifestyle habits like a balanced diet and exercise. However, while evidence has been found to support the use of meditation for lowering blood pressure, additional research is needed to see the specific impacts across varying types of meditation.
Strengthens Immune System Health
Meditation has also been found to be an effective behavioral treatment for various conditions associated with a weakened immune system. Consistent meditation has been shown to reduce the body’s stress response, resulting in less inflammation and decreased risk of conditions such as chronic pain, fatigue and heart disease.
Improves Memory
While meditation is best known to help ease stress and anxiety, it can also improve your brain structure. When you practice meditation, your brain is able to produce more gray matter, researchers found in one study. Gray matter is crucial for healthy brain cognition, as it protects the hippocampus, the part of our brain connected to memory. It’s also crucial for basic human functions, including our ability to control movement and emotions. The same study found that meditating for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks can increase how much gray matter your body produces[5]B. Hölzel, J. Carmody, M. Vangel, et al. Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Res. 2011. 191(1): 36–43. .
Regulates Mood
When practiced over time, meditation has the ability to change how you emotionally react to situations.
Elements of meditation, which generally include mindfulness and controlled breathing, can lead to less impulsive reactions. This means instead of reacting from a heightened emotional state such as anger or panic, people who practice regular meditation may gain the ability to more successfully regulate their mood.
Fewer Bad Days Ahead
Noom’s curriculum is rooted in psychological principles that help users better understand themselves, their brain, and the science of choice.
Take Assessment
Increases Self-Awareness
Meditation increases self-awareness by creating a habit of focusing on the present, allowing you to notice your thoughts as they come up, says Meyer-Tapia. Research shows that practicing meditation can help develop self-awareness, as well as improve impulse control and a person’s relationship with themselves and others.
Helps With Addiction Management
Meditation’s ability to increase a sense of calm, presence and reduced stress can help people with substance use disorders manage triggers or even avoid relapse.
Meditation has also been shown to encourage a maintenance in abstinence for those suffering from substance use disorder, and curb inclinations or cravings for a substance as a way to deal with other mental health outcomes like anxiety or stress.
Improves Sleep
Research suggests meditation can improve a person’s ability to sleep and quality of sleep. “When most of us are struggling to sleep, it’s because our minds are ruminating over the day, or worrying about tomorrow,” says Meyer Tapia. While further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of meditation as a long-term sleep aid, its effects have been shown to help with insomnia, as well as day-time sleep related issues, such as fatigue.
You May Also Be Interested In Online Therapy Services From Our Featured Sponsors
Talkspace
Learn More
On Talkspace's Website
Therapy Type
General, professional therapy
Starting Cost
$65 per week
Key Feature
Therapists have 9 years of experience on average
Subscription Includes
Live chat, live phone sessions, live video sessions
Cerebral
Learn More
On Cerebral's Website
Therapy Type
General, professional therapy
Starting Cost
$259 a month
Key Feature
Therapists available morning, night, weekdays and weekends
Subscription Includes
Live phone sessions, live video sessions
BetterHelp
Learn More
On BetterHelp's Website
Therapy Type
General, professional Therapy
Starting Cost
$65 per week, 20% off first month
Key Features
Match with a license therapist in 48 hours
Subscription Includes
Live chat, live phone sessions, live video sessions
(Note: Product details and pricing are accurate as of the publication date and are subject to change.
)
Build Your Inner Peace From The Ground Up
Your mental health is important – Sensa gives you the tools to help you improve it.
Get Your Plan
6 benefits of meditation – 4fresh blog
Now meditation is associated not only with Buddhism and yoga.
Now most successful people in the West have adopted this beneficial habit, because meditation has so many benefits that it would be foolish not to take advantage of this practice.
Mood improvement
Numerous studies have proven that meditation reduces signs of depressive states, fears, aggression, and apathy. Many clinics use meditation as an additional remedy or even as a substitute for antidepressants.
Meditation also helps to overcome panic attacks. In ordinary life, this practice helps to cope with stress, tension, and respond more calmly to annoying situations.
Hero of Labor
Those who practice meditation on a regular basis are more successful at work, because they are more focused, able to withstand stress, and find innovative solutions.
Such people have better memory, attentiveness and more active brain activity.
One study (at the University of California) showed that 20 minutes of daily meditation practice increased the performance of students and knowledge workers by 10 times.
Meditation can help people with Attention Deficit Disorder reduce hyperactivity and become more mindful.
Pain relief
Meditation can help us cope with some types of pain and can partially replace painkillers. Women in labor are often advised to meditate during labor or do breathing exercises specifically to reduce pain.
Meditation helps to cope with migraines, neurological pain, reaction to the weather.
Real Energizer
Even though meditation seems to be a calm and passive practice, it can energize us better than a cup of coffee!
Those who meditate regularly notice over time that they need fewer hours of sleep, sleep becomes stronger and better, it is easier to get up in the morning, and energy levels remain high throughout the day.
Sharpness of mind
For those who meditate for many years, the brain ages more slowly than for those who have never meditated or rarely do so. The fact is that meditation helps to preserve the volume of the gray matter of the brain, the loss of which leads to senile dementia.
We are talking about those who have been meditating for several decades, just then slowing down the aging of the brain is especially noticeable.
Om-baby
The sooner you teach your child to meditate, the greater the "harvest" of positive results in the future.
Regular meditation practice helps students cope with school stress, do homework easier, and respond more calmly to the problems of adolescence.
Adolescents reduce the risk of suicide and the development of various addictions, including drug addiction.
Where to start?
It can be difficult for a resident of a big city to start exercising, because we are not used to relaxing, letting go of our smartphones and turning off the flow of thoughts.
So if you don't succeed the first time, don't be discouraged, try different types of meditation until you find the one that suits you best.
Start simple - put on some nice music and try to focus on the sounds. It is the concentration on one thing - a sound, a candle, a mini-waterfall, a beautiful view of nature, an internal picture - that helps to stop the internal dialogue.
Watch your breathing - it should be deep, calm, diaphragmatic (that is, you need to breathe with your stomach, not your chest).
Try listening to a meditation with a trainer who will guide you through the practice. The main thing is that you like the voice of this person and the program would be close to you and not cause psychological rejection.
Meditating for five to fifteen minutes every day will be enough to notice positive changes.
Healthy Sleep and Stress Resilience: 11 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Meditation
The popularity of meditation has only grown in recent years - positions of "mindfulness specialist" appear in large companies, and the practice itself loses its esoteric meaning and becomes the standard solution for working with anxiety and panic.
There is also a growing body of scientific research into the pros and cons of meditation. Retelling Netdoctor's material on how a short mindfulness training session affects our health and productivity.
Meditation reduces stress
When we are stressed, our body releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This affects our well-being. For example, due to chronic stress, we face several problems - poor sleep, high blood pressure and low concentration. And meditation has the opposite effect - after a short practice, our body relaxes, and thanks to this, the effect of stress on the body is reduced.
Meditation helps manage anxiety
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center looked at patients with anxiety who often experienced excessive anxiety. People who completed the meditation course were able to respond more calmly to stressful situations than those who took the stress management course without mindfulness practices.
Meditation improves self-esteem
Scientists observed on fMRI how the brain activity of people changed after a two-month course of meditation.
The participants in the experiment had increased self-esteem, as well as activity in the brain network responsible for the regulation of attention.
Meditation improves self-awareness
By practicing meditation, you can better understand yourself and your relationships with other people. Mindfulness training allows us to notice destructive and negative thought habits behind us.
Meditation improves concentration
It doesn't take hours of practice for meditation to affect how long you can concentrate on a task. Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania found that even beginners feel they can focus on their work for much longer.
Meditation improves memory
The practice of meditation allows us to improve many cognitive functions - for example, the amount of working memory (responsible for temporary storage of information) increases by nine percent. Some research also shows that mindfulness training helps older people cope with age-related memory loss.
Meditation reduces symptoms of depression
Meditation allows you to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment, which is why it is sometimes used when working with symptoms of depression. One study found that mindfulness therapy allowed patients with clinical depressive disorder to reduce the intensity of major symptoms.
Meditation improves sleep quality
A short meditation before going to bed will allow you to relax and calm down even after the hardest day. One study looked at the effects of meditation on patients with insomnia — those who practiced fell asleep faster than others.
Meditation makes us more rational
Meditation regulates the work of the lateral prefrontal cortex of the brain - it is she who is responsible for logic, reasoning and rational thinking. Research shows that even a short fifteen-minute practice allows people to make more informed decisions.
Meditation reduces physical pain
Scientists at Leeds City University have found that in some cases, meditation can replace painkillers - the practice raises the pain threshold and reduces anxiety from physical discomfort.
