Proface

Meditation is an accepted method of relaxing and decreasing stress, but it also has other benefits you may not know.

1. It can increase your productivity. Meditation teaches you to concentrate and to focus your mind on where you want it. Because you're able to concentrate more effectively on the task at hand, you're making more efficient use of your time which means you're getting more work done. Studies have shown that just as little as 12 minutes meditation per day can improve your working memory, which is the part of the brain you delve into for information, solving problems and complex thought.

2. It can help you cope with pain. Studies have shown that those who suffer chronic pain can experience up to a 40 % decrease in pain intensity after a meditation session and that in addition , considerable pain reduction was experienced with just a few minutes meditation a day. This also indicates a significant decrease in the use of painkillers. The mind-body connection has been studied thoroughly and doctors have already found that meditation can reduce blood pressure and decrease depression, anger, and anxiety.

3. It strengthens your immune system. With our modern busy lifestyles, our bodies are in a constant state of stress, which means our immune system is not able to work properly to protect us from illness. We're more prone to illness, tiredness and being generally run down. A few minutes meditation daily will not only relax our mind and body but will also make us calmer and more able to handle stress for the remainder of the day so that our immune system can function more efficiently.

4. You can change your DNA. Contrary to previous notions that our genes were fixed and immutable, scientists have discovered that many different variables-- for example, our environment, our thoughts and behaviors-- influence the ways those genes are expressed. To give a practical example, someone who has a genetic tendency to high anxiety can learn ways of controlling that anxiety and thereby change the structure of those genes responsible for that trait. This is good news, as it means we're not constricted by our heredity. You may be born an anxious person but you don't need to remain that way. And as mentioned above, meditation is an excellent way of learning to control anxiety as well as many other conditions, emotions and moods.

5. It helps you sleep better. Studies have consistently shown that those who meditate regularly have more and better quality sleep than those who don't. In other words, they have no trouble falling asleep and wake feeling refreshed. If you're finding it hard to fall asleep at night because you can't wind down, meditation before bed is a good habit to get into, particularly if it incorporates rhythmic, deep, abdominal breathing-- it will relax your body and mind so that you will not only fall asleep more quickly but you'll be less likely to awaken during the night or experience restless sleep.

You can also boost your immune system and consequently cope more successfully with the stress of daily life by taking a probiotic supplement.