The Health Benefits of Meditation

What if there was a tried and true solution to make you more positive, energized, productive, focused, as well as reducing your stress? Have you ever tried meditation? Simply being more connected and present in our daily lives may be the solution to feeling balanced, happy and grateful.  

There are different meditation practices so it is important to find what works best for you. Three of the most common practices are mantra, manifestation, and mindfulness.

  • Mantra meditation involves repeating a syllable, word, or phrase. This form of meditation trains the mind to focus on a single blessing, thought, or feeling within the present moment.
  • Manifest meditation is the practice of consciously creating a life that you love. The practice of manifesting allows you to focus, open your heart, and then manifest positivity into your future goals.
  • Mindfulness is bringing awareness into the present moment. Mindfulness allows you to practice being present in life and allowing you to grow.

Meditating for only 5 minutes a day can help you improve immune function, physical activity and performance, provide more energy, focus, productivity and foster a positive outlook, as well as induce deep healing rest. Hormonally, meditation increases the production of serotonin and dopamine, the hormones that regulate mood and give the body an overall feel-good feeling.

Italso works to lower stress levels. When we are stressed, acid is produced within our bodies. This acid causes the digestive system to clear out, the immune system to lower, and skin to appear older. It also inhibits the regulation of hormones. For example, testosterone and estrogen are affected, therefore the chances of procreation decreases.

Some of the common misconceptions when it comes to meditation is that you need to be in a candle-lit room with gongs, music, and incense. The truth is, you do not need anything special to meditate. Meditation can be done anywhere and at any time; at home, the dentist, mall, car, or airplane. Another common misconception is that you have to clear your mind in order to be successful in meditation. The purpose is to not get rid of thoughts, but to start noticing them. The goal of practicing meditation is not for you to get better at meditating, but to get better at life. And who doesn’t want to experience that?

If you would like to learn more about wellness and meditation, visit our wellness program page at www.myvalleyschools.org.