Health Benefits of Meditation

I meditate regularly and can clearly see the health benefits of meditation in my own life. I am also interested in the scientific evidence that supports the use of this practice. I believe that more evidence will lead to more people gaining the health benefits of meditation.

Many of us who practice meditation believe it to be an ideal method for reducing the experience of chronic stress. There is quite a bit of evidence that some of the more extreme symptoms of chronic stress, such as burnout, might be prevented through the practice of meditation. It is claimed that this stress reduction effect occurs due to a reduction in arousal state caused by meditation practice.

Neuroscientists have discovered using scanning techniques that meditating Buddhist Monks have increased activity in the left prefrontal lobes of the brain (indicating positive emotions) as well as decreased activity in the parietal lobe and amygdala. This is referred as a relaxation response, and it represents a state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional response to stress.

Studies of long-term meditators in western countries have shown that they have experienced significant healthcare expenditure reduction and show reduced medical insurance costs of 50% averaged over all disease categories (in the US). In a 5 year study by Orme-Johnson (1987), which examined the medical insurance statistics of 2000 regular meditators (Transcendental meditation), they found that meditators had lower medical utilisation rates in all categories. They also found that long-term meditators had 53.3% fewer inpatient admissions per 1000 and 44% fewer outpatient admissions per 1000 when compared with other health insurance groups.

Meditation is a term which has many meanings. It has spiritual significance for many who see it as a means of achieving enlightenment while other would view it merely as a way to relax. It includes many techniques such as; repeating a mantra, listening to the breath, and detaching from the thought process Meditation is usually associated with sitting cross legged but this is far from the full story. Meditation can also be performed lying, standing, walking or performing daily tasks. Some types of meditation involve no formal set period for practice but instead promote moment to moment awareness.

If you add a meditation practice to your life and practice regularly then you will slowly but surely begin to reap the rewards. You may not notice a big difference in the beginning but if you put the effort in you will obtain the health benefits of meditation practice.

Sources

Canter P.H. (2003) - 'The therapeutic effects of meditation' - British Medical Journal - Vol.326 pp1049-1050

Varvogli L. (2006)- 'Brain activity and the relaxation response' - Annals of General Psychiatry - Vol.5(Supp 1):S249

Krisanaprakornkit T., Krisanaprakornkit W., Piyavhathul N., & Laopaiboon, M. (2006) - 'Meditation therapy for anxiety disorders'

Orme-Johnson (1987)- 'Medical care utilization and the transcendental meditation program' - Psychosomaic Illness - Vol.49 (5) pp493-507