Mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular in the Western world during the last decade, and there’s a good reason this ancient Eastern tradition is taking the world by storm. The benefits of mindfulness meditation are wide-ranging, and it has a direct positive impact on both mental and physical health.
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to living a healthier life. Treatments from ThriveMD, yoga, strength training, and so much more can positively impact your life. However, we’re here to discuss 5 incredible benefits of mindfulness meditation, which is one of the simplest practices to live a better life.
Increases Cognitive Function
We live in the age of technology, which brings about a bombardment of frequent distractions in our daily lives. This makes it more challenging to focus, retain information, and learn. One of the greatest benefits of mindfulness meditation is that it helps to improve cognitive function. Research has shown that regularly practicing mindfulness meditation improves focus, mental clarity, memory, and learning, making it a useful tool for increasing your brain power.
Improves Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is essential for effective communication, decision-making skills, and self-growth. Self-awareness is something that isn’t necessarily taught but can only be learned through the practice of bringing your thoughts and emotions to your attention – which is precisely what mindfulness meditation is all about. Mindfulness meditation gives your mind the space to observe thoughts and emotions in a non-judgmental way, which acts as a powerful foundation for improving your self-awareness.
Fosters Healthy Relationships
The relationships we have with others play a massive role in our well-being. As humans, we are designed to connect with others, but fostering and developing healthy relationships can be challenging. Mindfulness meditation not only helps you build a more loving relationship with yourself, but it also carries over into your relationships with others. Mindfulness meditation teaches you how to be compassionate, loving, and present which all work as important functions in fostering healthy relationships.
Increases Positive Emotions
All emotions play an important part in our development. However, increased positive emotions are often associated with a longer lifespan, lesser risk of disease, financial well-being, and healthier relationships. According to researchers, meditation has been shown to increase positive emotions in those who regularly meditated for 4 months when compared to non-meditators.
Decreases Stress & Anxiety
Stress and anxiety have a drastic impact on our health and well-being. Prolonged periods of stress increase your risk of disease, obesity, and addiction – along with many other negative effects. Experts continue to reveal that frequently practicing mindfulness-based practices, like mindfulness meditation, is effective at reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are the result of being mentally fixated on events that have yet to occur, and mindfulness meditation helps to bring you back to the present moment in a peaceful, effective way.