Why meditation works

Meditative practices, from qi gong to mindfulness-mediation, have been practiced for thousands of years, with their benefits revered for just as long. In the last 20 years or so, the scientific world has taken an interest in understanding how meditation works and how it may be applied to specific health conditions. Here's an overview of some of the diverse findings.  

Mind altering & anti-ageing

Meditation may help to reduce the cognitive decline associated with normal ageing . Activation of neural structures involved in attention, control of the autonomic nervous system and an alteration in the brain's response to pain, have all been observed in research .

A three-year study of anxiety disorders also concluded meditation to have a long-term beneficial effect in the treatment of these conditions.

Heart helper

Meditative practices have been successfully researched as a supportive treatment in a range of heart conditions. 

Although mechanisms involved in meditation's beneficial effects on heart health may not have been completely established, reductions in stress hormones such as cortisol and nor-epinephrine are known to play a significant role.

Gut Soothing

The diversity of meditation's health applications are further exemplified in research with those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). After three months of meditation practice, improvements were noted in IBS symptoms including flatulence, belching, diarrhoea and bloating.

What type of meditation is best?

The best approach is to try different styles of meditation and choose the one that works best for you. Considerations include guided meditation, body scan meditation, transcendental meditation and meditations which involve movement such as qi gong or tai chi. Regular, preferably daily practice will provide the most benefit to your health. 

Top four pluses of meditation

• A healthy and effective way to manage stress
• Helps to keep your heart healthy 
• Assists in calming anxiety
• Helps soothe the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

References available on request