Meditation is more than just the mind. It is a full-body experience with the power to improve psychological areas, enhance cognitive functions, and improve overall health and well-being.
There are many overlaps between meditation and hypnosis. Meditation is just another way of entering a hypnotic state. Hypnosis is a form of deep relaxation where one’s total concentration is focused on a single thought.
Hypnosis is a powerful mechanism to train our minds to focus on an end-point whether it’s to gain confidence, reduce anxiety and fear, sleep better of simply to cope with everyday life.
Science has shown that meditation has amazing neurological benefits. Meditation changes the structure of our brains – for the better.
Read on to find out why you should sit down, relax and tune out.
Reducing Stress, Anxiety and other Negative Emotions
The amygdala is the region of our brain that is responsible for the gamut of emotions that run riot when we feel stressed, anxious or fearful. A study by Harvard University showed a reduction in brain cell volume in the amygdala region with people who practice meditation in stressful moments.
Meditation helps us take back control of our nervous system and emotions thereby effectively reducing stress and anxiety in our lives.
Improving Cognitive Functions
Yale University scientists found that mindfulness meditation can halt the default mode network (DMN) in our brains. The DMN is active whenever we are not actively thinking.
In this default mode, our mind wanders aimlessly from one thought to another.
Meditation helps us dial it down by providing a quieting effect on the DMN network. The end result is we can focus and concentrate better.
Enhancing Self-awareness and Acceptance
One of the central themes of meditation is the focus on attention (an object, an activity, an idea). When we sit down to meditate, we are making a deliberate effort to shut out external ‘noise’ and distractions and to focus on our inner energies.
Meditation is like a good gym workout for our minds. The process of concentration and focus helps us become more aware of our mind and body.
When we meditate, we are less fazed by external threats. We can shrug off non-important issues and are more prepared to take on challenges.
Increasing Happiness and Well-being
Meditation increases our ‘happy’ hormones (endorphin). Studies show meditation increases brain signals on the left side of the pre frontal cortex (where positive emotions reside) and decreases in the right side (where negative emotions are found).
Increased self-awareness and acceptance from meditation contributes to overall well-being.
Enhancing Overall Health
Meditation benefits our bodies too. A study by the Benson-Henson Institute of Mind and Body in Boston has shown that meditation improves cardiovascular activity.
Meditation induces relaxation which in turns increases compound nitric oxide – a gas that helps blood vessels dilate, increasing the channels to which blood flows thereby lowering the pressure required to pump blood to the body.
Boston University researchers also found that meditation significantly improves our autoimmune systems by limiting the production of chemicals that can cause inflammation.
Are you ready to try the amazing benefits of meditation? Contact me, Roland James, to talk about a realistic and effective plan for you.