By Christine Schulz on Mon, May 6, 2019
In our busy lives, we often don’t make enough time for ourselves. When we’re constantly dealing with a busy schedule, it’s easy to get stressed and frustrated, and forget about taking care of our own needs. However, taking time to focus on yourself is beneficial to your overall well-being. By setting aside some time to meditate daily, you are increasing your self-awareness and focusing on what your body and mind need. Here are some reasons why you should take the time for meditation every day:
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
One of the most common reasons people try meditation is to reduce stress. During meditation, your focus and attention is on eliminating the stream of jumbled thoughts going through your head. Successful meditation helps manage those thoughts more effectively, reducing the stress caused by them. Less stress also leads to less anxiety. Reducing stress can also reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as phobias, social anxiety, paranoia, and panic attacks.1
Increase Emotional Well-being
Many forms of meditation and breathing exercises can contribute to an overall more positive outlook on yourself and your life. For those who suffer from depression, meditation can provide a way to focus your thoughts on yourself and what matters most. Studies show that mindfulness meditation decreased depression in over 4,600 adults.2,3
Promote Physical Health
Meditation and breathing exercises also promote better physical health. From learning to straighten your posture to strengthening your lungs by inhaling and exhaling deeply, meditation can help improve sleep quality, lowers risks of obesity or emotional eating4, and may even lower blood pressure.
Become More Focused and Productive
Sometimes, simply taking a few minutes to ourselves reboots the thought process. By learning to focus on your breath and clearing your mind while meditating, you’re increasing your cognition, or ability to think and concentrate. With a clear mind, you can more effectively approach whatever task you’re presented with to get the job done.
Meditation and breathing exercises have a number of benefits to improve mental and emotional health. The best part is you can meditate almost anywhere, without the need for any special equipment, and it only takes a few minutes a day to start seeing benefits. Remember, as with any new practice, it may take you a few tries to get the hang of it. But don’t give up - the more you participate the better results you’ll see.
2.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22938745
comments