- Meditation alters brain waves associated with total relaxation and altered states of consciousness. Daily meditation can help strengthen the mind and improve concentration.
- Meditation stabilizes the autonomic nervous system, reducing some physical reactions, such as the "fight or flight" response, and increasing blood flow. According to WomenFitness.net, a 1984 study by Delmonte, involving 52 subjects, found that heart rates were slightly lower during meditation. The website also states that bringing the body to a state of relaxation and stillness automatically reduces speed of breathing. Meditation and deep breathing relax stomach muscles, thereby improving stomach and bowel function.
- The mental and physical effects such as altered brain wave activity and increased blood flow caused by meditation can balance emotional states. Daily meditation can reduce anxiety, alleviate depression and help one to cope with stress more effectively.
- Meditation and deep breathing exercises promote better oxygen flow throughout the body, thereby increasing energy and vitality.
- Daily meditation is beneficial in combating insomnia. Meditation releases stress, allowing the body and mind to relax. Once the mind is calm and the body relaxed, the person becomes more receptive to sleep and the quality of sleep is greatly improved.
- The use of meditation as a complementary medicine has increased. The National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states, "a 2007 national Government survey found that 9.4 percent of respondents had used meditation in the past 12 months compared with 7.6 percent of respondents in a 2002 survey."
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