Meditation Isn't What You Think It Is
A lot of people are skeptical when they hear about the benefits of meditation. After all, we’re told that when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. However, in the case of meditation, many of the benefits have been scientifically proven. And it’s not just people who’ve been doing it for 20 years who benefit. In many cases, you can see the results in as little as a week.
Over the course of thousands of studies, meditation has been shown to: reduce anxiety, depression, and feelings of stress; increase focus and reduce the symptoms of ADHD; increase immune system function and reduce inflammation; lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke; reduce the amount of sleep you need to feel rested; make your brain bigger and increase your IQ; improve memory, recall, and lower the risk of developing dementia; boost creativity; reduce the likelihood of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol; improve your ability to cope with pain; prevent asthma and a variety of conditions caused by inflammation in the body; reduce loneliness and social isolation; and, overall, help you live a longer, healthier life. Pretty impressive, right?
As someone who’s obsessed with research, I wanted to know exactly how something as simple as meditation could possibly produce so many positive outcomes. It turns out that meditating changes blood flow in the brain, increasing it in certain areas (such as the ones that govern memory and social fun action) and reducing it in others (such as the ones that regulate anxiety, stress, and depression). It also changes blood flow in other parts of the body (hence heart - and stroke-related benefits). But at the end of the day, the how and why aren’t important. What really counts is that in addition to the many documented benefits, there have been no documented risks. So why not give it a try? Her’s how:
- Make it a regular thing. For someone just starting, 5-10 minutes once or twice a day is fine. Gradually increase to 15-20 minutes.
- Do it with others.
- Shhh. Turn off your phone.
- Get comfortable. No contortions or special clothing are required. While you can meditate in lotus position, you can do so sitting in a chair or walking too.
- Go! There are more than a dozen types of meditation. Some involve focusing your mind on a particular word or phrase (called a mantra). But you can just as easily start by focusing on your breath. Slowly count ‘one’ for the first inhale, hold for two seconds, then exhale. Count ‘two’ for the next set, and so on. Chances are that you won’t get to ‘three’ before your minds wanders in 127 different directions at the same time. When that happens, be gentle on yourself and do not criticize yourself for losing focus. This happens to everyone. Just observe that your mind has wandered and gently bring yourself back to your point of focus. Over time, you’ll find that you’re able to clear your mind of many of those distractions