The Health Benefits of Meditation

1. The Health Benefits of Meditation Meditation involves focusing to achieve a clear mind and calm emotions.Many people claim that it improves their mental and physical health. In 2014, researchers at Johns Hopkins University looked at 47 different studies on meditation which they say used reliable research methods.They found that meditation can be used to manage both stress-related problems, like anxiety, and physical problems, like chronic pain. Two common meditation techniques covered by the study were “mindfulness” and “transcendental” methods.Mindfulness is about focusing on fully experiencing the present moment.Transcendental meditation focuses on repeating a mantra: a sound or phrase which is often kept private, and usually considered sacred or of great personal significance.A common mantra is “om.” The researchers found some evidence to suggest that mindfulness-based meditation slightly reduced stress levels and pain after eight weeks of practice. After 6 months of mindfulness meditation, the benefits were more noticeable.According to the study, the effects were similar to what would be expected from using an antidepressant – without the possible side-effects.So meditation may be worth a try for anyone struggling with stress, anxiety, or pain. The researchers were less confident about the health benefits of mantra-based techniques, saying that more research was needed to identify the specific effects of different styles of meditation on people’s health. They also said that meditation should not be used as a replacement for other health treatments, noting that results varied from person to person.Some patients who used other methods, such as medication or therapy, reported better results. There are many ways to learn how to meditate, including classes, online resources, and mobile applications.So if you’re interested in trying it, there will be methods that suit your goals and personality type.If possible, start with mindfulness meditation as it has the most scientific research to back up its health benefits.