Meditation is an ancient practice that helps to bring peace and calmness to the mind. It has been used for centuries by many cultures around the world to help individuals find inner balance and clarity. It can also have a positive effect on your physical health, as it helps to reduce stress levels and improve your nervous system. This week we’ll break down 3 Reasons Why You Should Meditate.

1. Increased self-awareness & reflection: While meditation itself is a simple act that involves focusing on one's breath, mantra or repetitive sounds in order to achieve a state of deep relaxation, it is not easy. Our minds wander naturally, and your mind will definitely wander when you start meditating. However, this practice teaches us to be come aware of that fact, and take an observational approach to it. That means acknowledging our mind wandered, letting it go, and returning to our breath, or mantra. This practice increases our awareness of our thoughts and emotions, and can help us become less reactionary. This type of self-reflection is key to understanding ourselves and how we can best navigate our environment.
   

2. Lowers stress and anxiety: Meditating regularly is one of the best ways to reduce stress levels and lower anxiety. Our nervous system’s response to stressful situations is to go into protect-mode. Our minds race with every possible thought of what could happen to us. Meditation practice helps us slow down and ideally stop those racing thoughts. This is called practice for a reason. We are practicing quieting our minds. Like any other skill we want to get better at, it takes practice. It can be helpful to play a music track or relaxing sounds of nature while we practice. The point of meditation is not to concentrate on anything in particular, but rather to recognize the breath moving in and out of the body. Remember your breath when you are aware that thoughts are coming in and going out. You might notice their speed or intensity change as they pass through your mind. You can also try counting to 3 or 4 on your inhales and exhales to help concentrate on your breath.
   

3. Improved Overall Health: The mind-body connection is incredibly strong and important to understand. Everything that goes on in our minds, our body witnesses and stores the impacts of. As we quiet our minds with meditation, our bodies reap the physical benefits as well. Studies show that meditation can improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. It can also, via the increase in production of melatonin, reduce our risk for disease such as cancer. Meditation has also been shown to increase immune system activity.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of meditation, ask your Chiropractor.