How much is not meditating effecting you? Starting in their mid 20's, human brains begin to lose weight and volume. Previous research has demonstrated that people who meditate lose less brain mass than people who do not. Particularly, research concluded that people who meditated showed less loss of their white brain matter. White brain matter acts as a conductor and insulator for gray brain matter, carrying nerve impulses between the functional parts of the brain. Gray matter houses various neorological centers of the brain, which include speech, memory, motor skills, etc. Meditation is practiced by more than 15 million Americans and many more people around the globe. It has its roots in eastern culture, but has been fully embraced by the western world.
11 benefits of meditation: • Improves well-being and allows for deeper relationships • Helps with weight loss • Reduces stress and anxiety • Reduces depression • Improves sleep • Boosts attention • Reduces chronic pain
• Improves heart health and lowers blood pressure • Boosts memory • Inner peace and tranquility • Improves immunity
Recent studies prove that meditation can help keep our brains young.
Meditation Anti-Aging Findings A team of researchers from UCLA found meditation to have a widespread effect on the entire brain and not just a specific region of the brain. Comparing those with years of meditation experience with those who had none, the meditators had an average of 20 years of practice. The age range was between mid-20's to their 70s. A almost equal number of men and women participated. They discovered that meditators lost gray matter at a slower rate than non-meditators. Another study in 2012 showed meditators have more folds in their brains. Which contributes to their ability to process information faster. Meditation maintains the health of white and gray brain matter,
and form increased connections in the brain. It keeps the brain young. Alongside the benefits on the brains, meditation has positive effects on other bodily functions.
Anti-Aging Benefits Of Meditation Youth preserving and renewing benefits of meditation include: • Meditation increases DHEA, which facilitates the production of the hormones that maintain fat and mineral metabolism. • An increase in Melatonin, which acts as antioxidant, supplies immune support and fights depression. • A decrease in cortisol, the stress hormone that encourages the body to retain dangerous belly fat.
The Power Of Meditation Meditators learn to calm their inner mental chaos, and build their ability to concentrate. Which in turn improves their thinking patters and positive mental outlook. Greater clarity, followed by reacting less and responding more to circumstances maintain their adaptive thinking as they age. In short, they maintain their ability to think quickly with the benefit of choosing their response to situations instead of reacting to them.
How To Meditate
Typically, meditators practice at least twice a day for at least half a hour. Most schools of thought in the community recommend to start your day with meditation and end it. But you may meditate whenever you have time. Meditation isn't all or nothing. You can practice whenever you have time for as long as you can. 5, 7, 10, or 15 minutes. There are several different methods of meditation: • 7-minute Mindfulness • Mantra Meditation • Primordial Sound Meditation • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction • Zen • Qigong (Chi kung) • Yoga Meditation • Open Monitoring Meditation • Loving Kindness Meditation • Focused Attention Meditation • Vipassana Meditation
Getting Started Meditation is like any other habit. You need to develop a routine whenever you can, to improve your quality of life. When beginning try to meditate at the same time every day. If you cannot, you can still meditate whenever possible. Practicing meditation is more important than when you do it. The benefits of consistently meditating can develop in a few short weeks. With it preserving your brain's youth for years to come. The first step is to decide which form of meditation you wish to practice. Personally, I recommend the 7 Minute Mindfulness. Click below for instant access to
The mind-body secret to living your most amazing zen life