Why is meditation so important?
According to thousands of years of tradition, Buddhists meditate to understand themselves and their connections to all beings. and ultimately reach enlightenment. Studies suggest that mindfulness affects many of our psychological well-being. It helps improve mood, and decrease emotional and job burnout.
Heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States! Mindfulness may help with that.
In another study I read, people with hypertension were randomly assigned to augment their drug treatment with either a course in mindfulness meditation or a program that taught progressive muscle relaxation. Those who learned mindfulness had significantly greater reductions in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure than those who learned progressive muscle relaxation.
Long term consistent meditation increases resilience to stress. Helps cope with the everyday stressors. It can also help make our compassion more effective.
During this crazy quarantine, mindfulness could help with your relationships. For example, in one 2016 study, researchers measured mindfulness in 88 couples. Then they took cortisol levels in each couple before and after they discussed a conflict in their relationship. Unsurprisingly, cortisol levels spiked during the discussion, a sign of high stress. But levels in the most mindful people—were quicker to return to normal after the conflict ended. This result is echoed in many studies of mindfulness in romantic relationships from the beginning to the very end.
Mindfulness is also linked to better relationships with your kids. Studies have found that mindfulness practice can lessen stress, depression, and anxiety in parents and children with disabilities. Mindful parenting is also linked to more positive behaviors in kids.
How often should we make time to meditate? Studies show we should spend 20 minutes a day meditating. Our recommendation? Try out different durations, types, and frequencies of meditation and write down how you feel before and after the practice. See what seems to work for you!
Blog by Brittany