Meditation Benefits

Physical Effects of Meditation

• ↓metabolic rate, ↓heart rate, ↓respiratory rate, ↓blood pressure (= deep rest)

• ↓cortisol and lactate (↓stress hormones)

• ↑skin resistance (↓anxiety level)

• ↓cholesterol levels (↓cardiovascular disease)

• ↓free radicals (↓tissue damage, ↓aging)

• ↑brain volume (↓neural degeneration)

• ↓biological age (↑longevity)

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Psychological Effects of Meditation

• ↓stress, ↓anxiety, ↓panic attacks

• ↓irritability & moodiness, ↑emotional stability

• ↑happiness, ↑feelings of vitality & rejuvenation, ↑self-actualization

• ↑self-esteem, ↑self-confidence

• ↑attention span, ↑memory & learning ability

• ↑creativity, ↑intelligence, ↑moral reasoning

• ↑brain wave coherence

Mental health issues are on the rise among youth, rates of anxiety, depression and suicide are up significantly. A mindfulness meditation practice can help with many mental health issues like, mood disorders, anxiety and depression, by building emotional strength and resiliency.

Mental health issues increased significantly in young adults over last decade
Shift may be due in part to rise of digital media, study suggests

Date: March 15, 2019 

Source: American Psychological Association

Summary: The percentage of young Americans experiencing certain types of mental health disorders has risen significantly over the past decade, with no corresponding increase in older adults, according to new research. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190315110908.htm

What Science Can Teach Us About Practice

NeuroDharma: Practicing with the Brain in Mind

A great talk on the effects of meditation by Rick Hanson, watch the first 30 or 40 minutes at least!

With simple practices, you can hardwire more happiness, love, and wisdom into your brain and your life-Really!

Dr. Rick Hanson has spent decades gathering research, information, practices, and other resources to help people just like you turn everyday experiences into a powerful sense of lasting well-being.

On this website you will find tons of FREE resources that you can use to get started on your well-being journey, as well as information and links to more in-depth tools.

https://www.rickhanson.net/get-started/

The Science of Mindfulness

Working with Anxiety, Depression, and Other Everyday Problems Mindfulness-based psychotherapy is the most popular new treatment approach in the last decade-and for good reason. Studies demonstrate that mindfulness practices can be effective tools to help resolve anxiety, depression, addictive habits, stress-related medical disorders, and even interpersonal conflict. Mindfulness is not, however, a one-size-fits-all remedy. We need to tailor practices to particular problems. This talk will outline how mindfulness practices work to alleviate psychological distress and how anyone can creatively adapt them to work with the difficulty of the moment.

https://www.mindfulness-solution.com/