Benefits of Meditation

Benefits of meditation: I recently came across this study realised by the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention of Iowa, which found out that Transcendental Meditation (TM) lowers the risk of heart attack by 48% even in obese people and smokers.

Among other benefits of meditation, decreased blood pressure, stress and anger are observed when it’s practiced 20 minutes twice every day.

As far as the benefits of meditation are concerned, studies show that meditation helps improve various psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, cognitive function and addictions.

The immune system is also enhanced as meditation causes a decrease in the expression of a group of genes – part of the body’s immune system that is responsible in activating inflammation.

But how does meditation actually impact our body?

For one thing, it changes our brain. The cells of our brain and neurons constantly create new pathways and connecting changing old ones based on response to stimuli. This affects the brain’s neural circuits, which in turn affect our responses to situations.

It also effectively affects our actual brain’s structure — thickening some areas and making others less dense, which has interesting positive consequences on our brain activity:

Benefits of meditation:  threshold in the Pain Matrix is increased

Researchers have found a significant pain reduction with people using meditation as well as a 45% reduction activity in the pain matrix. It appears that the number of hours of meditation is directly related to the ability of the person to endure pain.

Benefits of meditation: Stress impact on Amygdala and Hippocampus

Meditation also reduces activity in the amygdala area when experiencing stress as well as a lowered density over time. The amygdala is affected when we experience stress and usually grows denser as a result of stress. Likewise, the hippocampus is affected and shrinks as cortisol is released in the body under stressful conditions. People meditating sees their concentration of grey matter in the left hippocampus increased.

Benefits of meditation: Prefrontal cortex

The prefrontal cortex normally gets thinner with age. People who meditate seem to experience an inverse effect and do not show any decline in this area as they are ageing. In other words, meditation helps maintain mental youth and awareness.

Benefits of meditation: Increase grey matter

The Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCP) is associated with creativity, thought, self reflection and “self-referential processing,” which is the process through which every person assesses how any situation relates to him or her. Temporo Parietal Junction (TPJ) has an inverse function to PCP as it is associated with perspective-taking and empathy. Meditation increases the ability to perceive emotions on the stranger’s face. Practically, meditation helps you have a better and a clearer awareness of yourself and own reactions when facing challenges and towards others.

The benefits of meditation, an easy and cheap habit, are countless, get into the habit and enjoy the effects!