Meditation is often an integral part of any yoga class you take, whether it’s closing your eyes and grounding yourself before your yoga practice, or coming into stillness during Savasana (Corpse Pose) to close a practice. The ancient Indian sage Patanjali, who compiled the Yoga Sutras that inform yoga teachers today, listed meditation as one of the eight limbs of yoga.
Dhyana, also known as meditative absorption, is the practice of contemplation and deep mental concentration. This yoga focus helps make the physical practice of yoga (asanas) a movement meditation.
Meditation is a great way to deepen a yoga practice off the mat. Meditating even just a minute or two a day can have profound mental and physical health benefits. The following are 10 research studies that show the benefits of mediation.
Related: 10 Research Studies That Support Yoga Benefits,
5 Mental Health Benefits of Yoga
1. Meditation Reduces Stress
A study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that daily meditation decreased the concentration of gray matter in the amygdala, which was correlated with a reduction in stress levels. Participants who meditated also experienced brain changes including increased gray matter in areas related to emotional regulation and learning.
2. Meditation Boosts the Immune System
A review of studies on meditation published in “Cureus” found meditation improves the immune system and inflammatory processes. The study review also found meditation has anti-aging benefits, as meditation can positively impact telomerase regulation.
3. Meditation Provides Pain Relief
A study published in the “Journal of Neuroscience” found meditation is an effective treatment for chronic pain. A mindfulness practice that focuses on attention on the breath both reduces pain due to immediate factors and provides relief from chronic pain over time.
4. Meditation Improves Sleep
A study published by “JAMA Internal Medicine” found mindfulness meditation was associated with a significant improvement in insomnia symptoms and fatigue severity. Meditation also improved sleep quality and improved overall quality of life.
5. Meditation Enhances Attention
A study published in “Behavioural Brain Research” compared subjects who listened to a podcast to those who listened to a guided meditation. The study examined prefrontal and hippocampal functioning, and found the meditation group had better results in terms of both enhanced attention and working memory.
6. Meditation Lowers Blood Pressure
The American Heart Association reports adopting mindfulness practices, including meditation, is associated with enhanced blood pressure control. A study that followed more than 200 adults with elevated blood pressure found the group that practiced mindfulness for 6 months lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of 5.9 mm Hg, compared to an average drop of 1.4 mm Hg in the control group that didn’t adopt a mindfulness routine.
7. Meditation Decreases Depression
The American Psychological Association reports on a review of more than 200 studies of mindfulness and found mindfulness-based therapy like meditation reduces anxiety and decreases depressive episodes. As mindfulness changes brain structures associated with emotional regulation, it enables meditators to better manage stress.
8. Meditation Improves Self-Control
According to Wharton University, meditation enhances activation of the anterior cingulate cortex, which is associated with self-control. Meditation can be an effective tool for those trying to overcome substance dependency, as a study published in the “Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment” found consistently practicing meditation during alcohol use disorder treatment was associated with better outcomes.
9. Meditation Boosts Self-Esteem
A study published by the journal “Psychological Studies” found mindfulness is associated with greater levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy. This is due to multiple factors, including changing areas of the brain to reduce anxiety, as well as decreasing levels of social stress and improving mood.
10. Meditation Decreases Worry
According to Mayo Clinic, meditation is effective at decreasing worry. This is due to multiple factors, including that meditation provides a way to practice looking at stressful events in a different way, offers practice for focusing on the present instead of distressing about the future or past, and increases feelings of patience.
Meditation Can Also Enhance Relationship-Building Skills
Meditation can have more than a positive effect on the meditator, but on others in the meditator’s life, too. Research from Yale University faculty shows meditation improves relationships by enhancing emotional regulation, increasing gratitude and boosting happiness.
Meditation doesn’t have to be long or complicated for you to experience some of these effects. Simply quieting the mind for a couple minutes a day, or listening to a short guided meditation, can help you enhance your ability to focus on the present moment and tune in to your breath and body.
Do you love meditation? Have you seen it positively impact your life? Share your experience in the comments.
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About the author: Nicki Escudero is a journalist and RYT-200 yoga instructor certified by Yoga Alliance. She teaches group and private yoga classes in Alexandria, VA, and Washington, DC. Contact Nicki.
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