In today’s era of fast-paced life, hectic jobs, polluted environment, and an electronic mode, we seem to have lost the peace of mind and health too. Thus, people are becoming increasingly cautious about health and finding ways of making their lifestyle healthy. One of the best ways to attain peace in your daily lives and beat the stress is to practice Meditation.

Meditation is derived from two Latin words. Meditari means “to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind” and mederi means “to heal”. In Sanskrit its derivation ‘medha’ means wisdom. Traditionally, the classical yoga literature describes that to achieve the true state of meditation, one has to go through several stages, such as personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation. After that comes the advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. In today’s age, any one of these stages can be referred to as meditation.

Stress can become chronic and if not properly managed, it can lead to the devastation of mind, body, and spirit. It also interferes with enjoyment of life, relationships, and work. Meditation helps in decreasing stress because meditation decreases the release of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and changes the frequency and amplitude of our brain waves. Besides that, mediation has also been known to give a broad range of benefits.

Meditation relaxes the mind, which in turn helps in improving the sleep of human beings. In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, participants who underwent a six-week program on mindfulness meditation had greater improvements in sleep quality and fewer symptoms of insomnia compared to those who were taught standard ways to improve their sleep hygiene.

Researchers in 2014 from Johns Hopkins had found that if meditation is done for 30 minutes a day, then it can improve some symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with mild disease to the same extent as antidepressant medications.

Although it is not yet clear as to how meditation can decrease the suffering of people who experience chronic pain, it is believed that it alters perception about pain.

When the body is in a relaxed state, the immune system is supposedly more able to better prepare for the battle against germs, foreign invaders, and cancer. Thus, meditation helps in relaxing the body and making immunity system better.

Meditation and memory are linked. Research has proven that meditation changes the physical structure of the brain in remarkable and positive ways. Many studies have found that meditation training helped workers concentrate better, remember more of their work details, and stay energized, and experience less negative moods.

These are only some of the benefits associated with mediation. In our daily lives, all we need is minimum of 10 minutes to give ourselves over to the state of meditation and it can help us stay healthy both physically and mentally.

Gentle reminder: The information on this article is not meant to replace a qualified healthcare professional and should not be considered as professional advice. Please seek appropriate medical help when necessary.