Physical Benefits of Meditation

Meditation gurus have known the benefits of meditation for a long time, however, in the last 50 years there have been many studies that show meditation benefits your health.

When you meditate there are a number of physical meditation benefits. These include:

• A decrease in the heart rate and breathing rate. For example, Indian yogis could slow their heart rate to 24 beats lower than normal, and breathing rate to 4-6 breaths per minute (Bagchi & Wengor, 1959). Similar findings have been found in more recent controlled experiments across a broader population.
• A decrease in blood pressure
• A decrease in muscle tension.
• Lower levels of stress hormones.
• An increase in alpha brain wave activity (associated with relaxation)

• Lower skin conductance - lower skin conductance is associated with deep relaxation.
• A decrease in blood lactate, which is associated with lower levels of anxiety.
• Lower cholesterol levels - which is associated with heart disease.

There is also considerable research that suggests that meditation can influence personality traits, behaviors and attitudes and other psychological meditation benefits.

Regardless of what meditation your do, from transcendental meditation to breathing meditation, or mindfulness meditation to Japa meditation, you can gain the meditation benefits.

Meditation results in a relaxation response, which are considered to have beneficial effects on your health.

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