What is meditation?
Meditation is an ancient spiritual practice from the Indian religions. Now mainstream in the Western world there are lots of misconceptions about it. It is not getting rid of all your thoughts, because that’s impossible. Meditation is learning to focus on one thing at once and to use that as an anchor to the present moment. This enables your thoughts to slow down, your body to move from flight/fight/freeze and you to be able to think more clearly, sleep better, reduce your stressload and focus better!
How can meditation help?
Anxiety and Stress: There are numerous studies that show that the ‘happier parts of the brain’ are more active as a result of meditation, providing proof that meditation can help those suffering from anxiety, stress or depression. Watch this Ted Talk by the amazing neuroscientist Professor Wendy Suzuki Meditation Changes Your Brain for the Better, Even if You're Not a Monk Wendy Suzuki Big Think (youtube.com)
Focus and Productivity: MRI scans of those over the age of 50 have shown that meditation ‘counteracts the thinning of the cortex that occurs naturally with ageing’ helping to prevent memory loss. Meditation is regularly used by top athletes, including Novak Djokovic and LeBron James, who both cite meditation as crucial to their success.
Sleep: Regular meditation can have a significant impact on the ability to fall asleep and the quality of your sleep. It can also have a positive effect on how rested you are
throughout the day, even when you haven’t had enough sleep. There is a plethora of research on the benefits of meditation on sleep. To find out more read the NHS guidance How can meditation help with sleep? - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
There are many more benefits of meditation and if you would like to know more
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