Stress Reduction The most obvious benefit as I mentioned earlier is that meditation reduces stress.
It speaks for itself in that we are taking out a little bit of time to spend on our own and for ourselves without worrying about what other people want from us.
Meditation also requires you to slow down your breathing causing your body to enter a physiological state of relaxation.
Benefits for your health Many studies have shown that meditating benefits your health.
As I mentioned earlier, reducing stress has a physiological aspect to it.
Muscles become more relaxed, your body releases hormones in you to make you feel better, you heart beats slower etc.
Of course no one can guarantee that your health will improve because you must be leading an overall healthy lifestyle which includes exercise and a healthy diet.
But there is no doubt that meditation is one of the things that can contribute, not least in helping to motivate you to live a healthy lifestyle.
Ability to control your thoughts One of the main reasons people become interested in meditation is because they want to improve the quality of their thoughts.
Some people find that they have negative thought patterns which they wish to change and look to meditation as the first step in becoming more positive.
Quietens your mind We are so used to using our minds in our daily lives that it is often a shock to us to realize that we don't necessarily need to use it all the time.
Yes it's a great tool for navigating through life.
But there is no harm in turning it off once in a while and give it a rest.
Times where it's perfectly find to have a quiet mind could be while socializing or doing a fun activity.
On the other hand, cultivating a quiet mind can be very beneficial for when you are engaged in activities where you need to be confident and highly concentrated, for example when you are engaged in a competitive environment.
This way you'll stay focused and won't be swayed by negative emotions or adverse conditions.
Increase concentration Related to the last point.
Meditation helps you to be able to concentrate better and for longer.
This will help you in almost every area of your life such as sports activities and work.
It helps you by allowing your full mental ability to be focused in one place without being distracted.
Improves your happiness Last but certainly not least, meditation is a great way to improve your happiness and well-being.
By cultivating peace of mind we get rid of stress, worry and negative thoughts all the things that create unhappiness in us.
It also teaches us that the source of our happiness is inside us and not in external circumstances such as what we have or think we own.