Meditation is really the best thing you can do for your overall health – and all it takes is your commitment! Seriously – you don’t need special gear, a special place, or a special time to do it. We are talking about minimal effort here. You just have to sit still and be quiet. But even though we know how great it is for us, somehow we find every excuse not to do it. What’s that about? Here’s hoping this list of the amazing benefits of meditation will motivate you to carve out just a few minutes of time, in our otherwise busy days, to embrace the bliss of this beautiful practice.

The Ultimate Stress Reliever

Meditation is a great antidote to stress. With our hectic schedules, our nervous systems run high on adrenaline. Meditation gives us a time to pause and just chill out. Meditation lowers levels of cortisol, the hormone that makes us feel stressed and with reduced cortisol, we feel less anxious, depressed and generally calmer.

Meditation puts a smile on your face. When you meditate, serotonin is produced in your nerve cells making you feel a little more content, centered and comfortable in your own skin. And this good mood shows – you look better, too!

Keep Calm and Meditate

Meditation helps with focus and concentration. With a calm mind, you can handle tasks with aplomb. You are able to pay attention and are more aware of what you are doing – it improves your performance! One thing you won’t forget if you are  meditating, it helps improve your memory.

Mindful meditation helps you to be more patient and more present. When in a long line at the store or stuck in traffic, you can approach the situation with a sense of “this too shall pass.” Additionally, it helps you to release negative emotions more quickly, putting a smile on your face. Rather than embracing anger or frustration, you can process those negative feelings and let things go.

Body Benefits

Meditation is good for the mind and the body. Studies show that it lowers blood pressure which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It can even boost your immunity, so you can stave off illnesses more easily.

Meditation helps you to manage pain. With less anxiety, you can tolerate pain better. You learn how to breathe through the pain with meditation, so you feel it less acutely. Meditation teaches us to self-soothe.

A Natural Sleep Aid

Meditators have an easier time falling asleep, and often sleep more soundly than most. Meditation for sleep acts as a guided experience that allows you to let go of the day, so that you can rest the mind while resting the body.

Providing Relationship Therapy

Meditation can improve relationships. It’s easier to communicate when you are calm and can think clearly. When you meditate, it helps you connect with who you really are. That space of silence is where all the wisdom is, and we can download it when we give ourselves the opportunities to do so.

Meditation helps you to forgive and let go of past issues with others. You feel more peaceful and can see the bigger picture. It allows you to feel more empathy. It allows you to let in gratitude.

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