In a world that is moving at an ever-increasing pace – finding moments of calm throughout our busy days is becoming more and more important.

One practice that can help is meditation. More than just helping you ‘calm your farm’ practicing meditation is like unlocking a treasure chest of golden goodness to support your physical, mental and emotional health.

I’ve pulled together a little collection of my favourite benefits for you below – but there are oh so many more!

1 – Reduces stress

One of the best-known benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress. As you close your eyes, connect with your breath and bring your attention to the present moment, the constant chatter in your mind will gradually give way to quiet. This quiet gives your nervous system a chance to reset, and activates the relaxation response, which counteracts the effects of chronic stress – cortisol levels decrease, heart rate slows, blood pressure normalizes, symptoms of anxiety decrease and overall wellbeing improves.

2 – Improves focus and attention

In a world of constant distractions and ‘new-shiny-thing’-itis, the ability to focus has almost become a lost art. Meditation acts like a mental gym for your brain, helping you to stay present and focussed. As your ability to focus during meditation improves, it also improves in other areas. This can enhance attention, memory, concentration and mental clarity, and also lead to an increase in productivity.

3 – Enhances emotional well-being

Your inner emotional landscape is rich and varied. It is an intricate mix of joy and sorrow, contentment and anxiety, ambition and indifference. Meditation can help you navigate through these shifting lands. Learning to observe your emotions without attachment can help develop your emotional intelligence and increase your resilience. Over time, meditation can help you develop better emotional regulation and self-awareness, and can reduce symptoms of depression and anger, while improving empathy and self-control.

4 – Better sleep

Meditation can lead to better sleep through its ability to help to calm your mind and reduce stress. An overactive mind and increased stress levels are the most common reasons behind disrupted sleep. When you meditate you focus your attention on the present moment, training your mind to let go of the racing thoughts that often keep you awake at night. The deep relaxation achieved through meditation can also help regulate sleep patterns, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

5 – Improves creativity

Meditation can enhance creativity by making it easier for you to access a state of mind that encourages the generation of new ideas. During meditation, your brain shifts into a state that allows for more divergent thinking – the ability to generate a variety of ideas and solutions. This mindset is often referred to as “flow state.” Regular meditation can help you access this state more readily – improving problem-solving skills and a giving you a greater ability to think outside the box.

6 – Boosts physical health

Meditation’s impact on physical health is well researched. It has been shown to have a positive effects on:

• Blood pressure – meditation can lead to reduced blood pressure. By calming the body’s stress response, meditation helps decrease the strain on the cardiovascular system, leading to lower blood pressure levels
• Inflammation – meditation can reduce markers of inflammation in the body (chronic inflammation is linked to a wide range of health conditions). By reducing chronic inflammation, meditation can lead to improvements in overall health and well-being
• Immune system – stress hormones can suppress immune activity. Regular meditation helps to reduce the levels of stress hormones which leads to a stronger immune system, helping your body defend itself against infections and illness
• Pain – meditation can help to manage pain by altering your perception of pain and increasing pain tolerance
• Addictions – meditation can help to manage cravings, reduce stress-related triggers, and promote a sense of inner calm

Seriously – is there anything meditation can’t do? 😊

Which benefit of meditation appeals to you most?