I am dedicating this episode to how one can get started with meditating as a daily practice. There are so many resources out there. I recommend starting with 5-15 minutes daily. It will be difficult to clear all the thoughts from your head at first, so you can start with five minutes and go from there. I suggest these podcasts, since this may be an easier way to ease into it. Good luck!
Some of the benefits of meditation include:
- Mindfulness can help treat depression, even postpartum depression.
- Meditation reduces stress and anxiety, even panic disorder.
- Meditation may decrease sleep need.
- Meditation can help reduce substance and alcohol abuse.
- Meditation improves mental processing, decision-making, mental strength and resilience.
- Meditation improves emotional intelligence.
- Meditation can relieve pain. People who meditate perceive pain as less than people who do not.
- Meditation can help reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Meditation improves learning, memory, self-awareness, compassion, and introspection.
- Meditation has positive effects on creativity.
- Meditation reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Meditation decreases inflammation (It has helped in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory bowel disease).
- Meditation can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Meditation can help premenstrual symptoms and menopausal symptoms.
- Meditation may extend longevity.
- Meditation reduces heart rate and respiratory rate.
- Meditation decreases feelings of loneliness and increases compassion.
Reference:
Dienstmann, Giovanni, “SCIENTIFIC BENEFITS OF MEDITATION – 76 THINGS YOU MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON.” Live and Dare: Meditation Blog and Non-sectarian Spirituality. Giovanni Dienstmann. Web. Accessed 28 November 2015. <http://liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/>.