Summary: Reducing your stress levels is one of 15 reasons you should meditate daily. Find out the others in this article.
A few years ago I was first introduced to the practice of meditation when I read Gabrielle Bernstein’s book, May Cause Miracles. Of course I’d heard of mediation, but for me it brought up an image of someone sitting in an ashram in India, legs crossed and chanting. I thought meditation was purely the clearing of your mind. While that can be part of it, mediation can be what you want it to be.
With all the stresses of the modern-day world, meditation has become much more popular and accessible to the average person. There are even smartphone apps like Headspace to help you learn how to meditate and take some time out of your day to just breathe and relax.
I consider myself to be someone whose brain is constantly whirring. Even if I’m sitting still, my mind is off in a million places, so the thought of meditation overwhelms me and, to be honest, sounds like the last thing I want to do. I am, however, convinced of the benefits and have started to include just a couple minutes into my daily routine. Why would you want to meditate? Well, here are just a few of the many reasons to give it a try:
- Reduces stress levels
- Lowers blood pressure
- Decreases tension-related pain, such as tension headaches and muscle and joint problems
- Increases serotonin, which boosts mood
- Improves energy
- Improves the immune system
- Encourages a healthy lifestyle
- Increases creativity
- Increases acceptance
- Changes brain physiology to slow aging
- Increases attention span
- Increases gratitude
- Improves sleeping
- Lessens fear, loneliness and depression
- Helps prevent emotional eating and smoking
