Written by Sam Richards
5 reasons meditation should be part of your daily routine
Meditation is an ancient practice, with evidence of its use found as early as 1500 BCE. In recent years, it has become more and more popular, with the number of people practicing meditation tripling between 2012 and 2019![1]
One of the many joys of the art is that you can meditate anywhere, any time and at no cost. There’s a plethora of tutorials on YouTube, as well as classes, websites and apps dedicated to honing your practice.
At Equilibrium, we believe that meditation is so beneficial that we’ve just added a fully funded Calm membership to our array of benefits for the wellbeing of our team.
If you’re still not sold on the benefits of meditation, have a read of the top five benefits that prove meditation should be part of your daily routine.
1. Reduce stress and control anxiety
“It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it” – Hans Selye
One of the most popular reasons that people start meditating is to reduce stress. Studies have shown that not only can meditation help to reduce stress, but it can also help people to control anxious thoughts.[2]
We all have to deal with stress sometimes, but meditation can give you the tools to stay calm and respond in the best way possible.
2. Better concentration
Meditation is often likened to exercise for your brain. By focusing your attention on your practice, you are also ‘exercising’ the part of your brain responsible for concentration and making it stronger.
Studies have found that meditation can even reverse pathways in the brain that cause the mind to wander.[3]
3. Increase your job satisfaction
It’s no wonder that with improved concentration and reduced stress, people enjoy their work more.
4. Improve your physical health
Meditation has even been found to help with medical conditions, especially ones worsened with stress. Research has suggested that meditation can help manage symptoms of [5]:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Tension headaches
Pretty amazing, right? But it doesn’t stop there. Meditation has also been found to improve sleep quality and even lessen our perceptions of pain.[3]
5. Be happier and kinder!
Not only has meditation been found to improve your overall mood, but certain types of meditation can also improve your love and kindness towards yourself and others. [3]
So, why not try taking 10 minutes of your day to give meditation a go? You might just unlock a happier, healthier, less-stressful life!
Reference
1https://www.thegoodbody.com/meditation-facts/
3https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation
4https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
