Introduction
Meditation is a spiritual and psychological practice that creates a special state of consciousness, which is described as inner emptiness, thoughtlessness, and stopped thinking. Meditation originated within the religious-spiritual sphere and has been increasingly used for medical and health purposes in recent years. During meditation, a person concentrates, directs, and holds attention on his inner world or a particular object (idea, image, word). Regular meditation practice promotes inner calm and relaxation while also reducing cardiac strain.
Benefits of Meditation for Mental and Physical Health
First, meditation helps reduce stress, thereby relaxing the mind. Studies have demonstrated that meditation helps people learn to refocus their attention, enhance their willpower, manage their emotions and impulses, and better know the origins of addictive behavior (Somohano et al., 2019). In today’s world, people are often stressed; even minor annoyances, unresolved problems, and urgent matters cause feelings that one suppresses. Usually, they are angry, irritated, and fearful, which often leads to melancholy and depression. Negative emotions that we hide do not disappear without leaving a trace; they accumulate, which inevitably leads to hysterics and nervous breakdowns. Meditation is an excellent way to achieve a stable emotional state, which is why it is becoming increasingly popular in modern society every year.
Meditation can also benefit physical health by lowering cardiac strain. High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, impairing cardiac function over time. It also promotes atherosclerosis, or artery constriction, which can result in heart attacks and strokes (Anagnostis et al., 2020). Meditation partially manages blood pressure by dampening nerve impulses that coordinate heart function, blood vessel tightness, and the “fight or flight” reaction, heightening awareness in stressful conditions.
Conclusion
Thus, meditation does not change people but allows them to be in tune with themselves. Meditation is based on controlling the functions of the psyche through concentration or the will. During meditation, the breathing changes, the heartbeat and metabolic process slow down, and the blood pressure decreases. Thus, regular meditation will enhance one’s quality of life, health, and emotional well-being.
References
Anagnostis, P., Vaitsi, K., Mintziori, G., Goulis, D. G., & Mikhailidis, D. P. (2020). Non-coronary atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 36(5), 731-740. Web.
Somohano, V., Shank, T., & Bowen, S. (2019). Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for addictive behaviors. In Handbook of Mindfulness-Based Programmes (pp. 341-353). Routledge. Web.