Meditation is one of those things that can make you very curious yet skeptical at the same time. You hear people talk about all these benefits of practicing meditation. But at the same time, you may find yourself wondering whether these are actually true. 

It may interest you to learn that not only are the physiological benefits of meditation real, but they are also backed by science – including various studies performed at the Harvard University. In one such 8-week study, it was determined that meditation could rebuild the gray matter of the brain in as little as 2 months. The gray matter is responsible for brain cognitive functions, including thinking, perceiving, and processing information.

 Following are some of the benefits you’ll experience if you start practicing meditation.

Decreases Stress

Regularly practicing meditation has shown to increase mindfulness, which is a key strategy in fighting stress. It improves the regulation of emotion, which leads to a better moods and improved ability to handle stress. In fact, stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people try meditation in the first place. Mental and physical stress can lead to an increases level of cortisol, which is the stress hormone. 

As a consequence, this produces many harmful effects of stress, including an inflammatory chemical called cytokines. This can lead to disrupted sleep, increased levels of depression and anxiety, contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking, and could potentially increase blood pressure. In an 8-week study, participants took part in mindfulness meditation and the practice reduced the inflammation response caused by stress.

Increases Self-Awareness

Meditation may also help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself. This can further help you grow into the best version of yourself. Meditation helps you gain a greater awareness of your thoughts, hobbies, and other patterns, which allows you to work on them more constructively. When you become more aware of your strengths and weakness, you naturally start taking steps to improve yourself. 

In a review of 27 studies, it was observed that the practice of tai chi was potentially helpful in improving self-efficiency – a term used to describe a person’s belief in their own ability or capacity to overcome obstacles. 

Another study with 153 adults showed that people who used a mindfulness meditation app for 2 weeks experienced reduced feelings of loneliness and better social contact as compared to those who didn’t. Additionally, meditation may increase your creativity at problem-solving skills. 

Improves Physical Health

If all the benefits for your mental health aren’t enough to motive you to practice mindfulness, you may be surprised to learn that it has physical health benefits as well. Scientists have discovered that mindfulness can help reduce chronic pain, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties, and improve sleep. 

In addition to that, mindfulness can help reduce cell aging. Studies have suggested that long-term meditators have reduced cell aging, as compared to those who don’t meditate at all. Although there needs to be more research to understand this specific benefit of meditation, the studies so far look promising. 

As you can see, the benefits of meditation are backed by science. So if you’ve been putting off meditation because you aren’t sure if it’ll benefit you, now is a great time to stop the procrastination and start meditating.