Sometimes we miss the delights of the present moment or make life harder for ourselves as we become consumed with thoughts about the past or future. Mindfulness meditation encourages you to slow down, allows for deeper self-reflection, and can help you discover positive attributes about yourself. It enables you to find calm in the midst of life's challenges, and respond more effectively. Here are three reasons to incorporate this practice into your daily life.
Reduces stress
Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone, it’s important since it’s essentially your built in alarm system and is a way that we’ve managed to survive as a species. It activates the body’s fight or flight response to keep you safe from danger, however an excess of this hormone can lead to many negative effects on the body. These can include:
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Higher blood pressure
- Impaired cognitive performance
- Increased abdominal fat
- Lowered immunity
- Suppressed thyroid function
Meditation has been shown to lower the levels of cortisol — the stress hormone —which helps you feel more relaxed. Mindfulness meditation helps train your mind to focus on the present, making you less likely to ruminate on stress and anxious thoughts that can fuel depression.
Manages pain
Many doctors recommend mindful meditation practices as part of a comprehensive pain management plan. Those with ongoing chronic conditions causing pain often have to rely on strong painkillers which can wreak havoc and cause negative symptoms in the body. Meditation can enable some people to reduce or even stop their pain medication, and since it’s accessible and free you really have nothing to lose by giving this a try.
Improves self esteem
Mindfulness helps increase self-awareness by increasing the ability to examine your thoughts and feelings. It gives you time to think and reflect and really get to know yourself and your mind. Mental and physical health are strongly linked, taking care of one will also take care of the other, so focus on your mind as a way to improve your body. And what better way to do so than with practices that improve the way you feel about yourself and your confidence levels.
