Get a physical and mental boost from a few moments of solitude
For many of us, the idea of meditation conjures up images of sitting cross-legged on the floor and trying hard to keep your eyes closed, but meditation is about more than zoning out and finding your inner Zen. Regular meditation is the ultimate rest for your brain, and when your mind is at ease and not focused on the outside world it has time to recuperate.
(Click here to read tips on how to get started with meditation.)
Meditation is an emotional pick-me-up
We all get stressed out and appreciate little boosts wherever we can get them. Meditation is a great way to boost your mood and studies have shown that meditation produces higher levels of alpha waves known to reduce feelings of negativity, tension, sadness and anger. Giving your brain a rest through meditation can help to alleviate depression and anxiety.
Meditation increases mental clarity
Struggling to find your focus and feel like you have too much going on at once? Meditation is a fantastic way to improve memory, self-awareness and even the ability to set goals and stick to them. Research indicates that the process of meditation positively impacts the brain’s shape and size. Some studies have shown that after eight weeks of a meditation program, grey matter is more dense in those areas associated with learning, memory processing and regulating emotions.
Mediation exercises your mind through rest
Physical exercise is not the only way to keep your body strong and healthy; the ‘mental exercise’ of meditation can help, too. Some studies indicate that regular mediations contributes to a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in the variability of the heart rate. This plays a vital role in transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide around the body, which helps us produce antibodies against viruses. Meditation can help boost our immunity and also increase pain tolerance.
While meditation is not a substitute for medical advice or a healthy lifestyle, it should form part of a balanced approach to your overall health and wellbeing routine. There are many different types of meditation, so find one that works for you and give yourself time to enjoy its benefits. You may start feeling like a whole new person.
This Healthy Living article was developed by PepsiCo in partnership with the Saudi SFA
