Benefits of Mindful Meditation on Mental Health
From emotional to mental and physical, meditation offers a slew of benefits. Whether you are an insecure teenager or a responsible parent, emotional imbalances and mental health issues can make it difficult to cope with life challenges. If you feel like your mind and heart are constantly at war with each other, meditation can be the best way to calm your nerves.
Let’s explore some important benefits of meditation on mental health.
What is Mindful Meditation?
In this type of meditation, you focus on being aware of what you are feeling and sensing at the moment, without judgment. Such meditation involves guided imagery, breathing methods, and other practices to train the mind and body to relax.
Benefits of Mindful Meditation on Mental Health
Better Concentration and Focus
Since meditation helps you focus on the present moment, you can significantly improve your concentration levels. According to a 2011 study by the Harvard Medical School, mindfulness meditation has profound effects on the brain. Researchers discovered a connection between mindfulness and the processing of new ideas and information.
When researchers analyzed the brain scans of 17 individuals before, and after they participated in an eight-week meditation program, they found an increase in gray matter in the brain parts responsible for emotional regulation, memory, and learning. That means we can train our minds to be more attentive and alert through meditation.
Improved Self-Esteem
Meditation allows us to slow down and make room for introspection. Researchers at Stanford University studied the effects of meditation on people dealing with social anxiety in 2009. They studied the effects of meditation training on 14 participants for two months who suffered from a social anxiety disorder. They found out that once the participants completed the program, they showed better and improved self-esteem.
Reduce Stress
Another benefit of meditation on mental health is that it reduces the production of cortisol or the stress hormone. According to a 2013 review, when researchers studied more than 200 studies of mindfulness meditation, they discovered that meditation is an effective way to reduce stress.
In some types of meditation, you can repeat a phrase or a word called the mantra. This mantra has a calming effect on reducing negative energy so you can focus on positive thoughts.
For example, transcendental meditation allows you to repeat a sound or a word silently to focus on a particular thought. As a result, you reach a state of stability and stillness.
Manage Depression
When you train your mind to focus on a specific thought or the present, you learn to combat feelings of anxiety and depression. Research published in JAMA in 2014 revealed that mindful meditation eases depression and anxiety. That means mindfulness can become a component of a mental health treatment plan. Other researches also prove that MBSR or mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy can effectively help people suffering from anxiety. Through mindfulness meditation, you can reduce other symptoms related to depression, such as loss of appetite and insomnia.
Combat Addiction
When we meditate, we alter the brain receptors associated with alcohol and drug addiction. Practicing mindfulness meditation makes us aware of our surroundings and helps us become more aware of our cravings.
According to a study published in Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation in 2018, mindfulness training may prevent future relapses for individuals with a substance use disorder. That’s because it offers a therapeutic effect for regulating how the pleasure and reward experiences work in our brain.
Final Thoughts
If you want to lead a happier and healthier life, eating right or exercising is not enough. Make sure you protect your mental health as much as your physical health. If you want to take control of your life, don’t forget to check out more on our website.
