Meditation provides multiple benefits at any age, from spiritual to emotional to physical. It is a diverse and versatile practice that can be personalized so that it suits your needs and abilities. Whether you’re enjoying your golden years, or are a caregiver looking to enrich the life of a loved one or yourself, meditation provides a daily boost. Here are 4 benefits of meditation to get you inspired to start your practice today.
Meditation Boosts Memory
Both the hippocampus and the frontal brain lobe are stimulated by meditation. These are the dominant “storage hubs” for long-term and short-term memory respectively. Meditating thus helps with memory recall for both long-term and short-term memory, and can aid in the retrieval of memories you thought were long lost to time. Through a regular and sustained practice of meditation, you’re training your ability to store new memories both now and in the years to come.
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Meditation Helps the Digestive System
While great for mood and mind, meditation also has physical benefits. Certain ways of practicing meditation – such as yoga and Tai Chi – bring you all the benefits of exercise, but even a more gentle practice has its benefits.
During most types of meditation, you’ll need to control and regulate your breathing to instill a sense of calm. These deep breathing exercises help improve circulation and enrich the oxygen in your blood. This helps your organs, such as your stomach and intestines, to work better. As you make meditation a daily practice, you’ll find that any digestive problems you might have will be greatly relieved.
In addition to helping the digestive system, the oxygen boost that meditation provides also optimizes the immune system, helping your lungs and overall circulation.
Meditation Makes You Happier
Those who suffer from depression can benefit from meditation’s “feel-good” effects. The practice stimulates the prefrontal cortex brain region, which helps improve your mood overall. If you find yourself feeling blue, a grounding meditation session can help relieve your symptoms, especially when combined with therapy and other treatments for mood.
For many, a lack of socialization can contribute to, or cause depression. This is why having an active roster of activities and events to look forward to can be so beneficial for those of us in our golden years.
Meditation Sharpens the Mind
It’s no secret that meditation provides a sense of clarity, sharpening your mental faculties and heightening your ability to perform daily tasks. Regular meditation helps synchronize your left and right brain hemispheres, helping you improve brain functions. It helps you focus better, and grants you clarity of thought, a sharper wit, and a heightened sense of focus. With all of these benefits, what’s not to love? Meditation can be done in various forms. Whether it’s taking a few minutes at the start and end of the day to do some deep breathing, or a more physically rigorous practice such as yoga, cultivating a meditation practice brings a bundle of benefits.
