On Healthy Living

A recent study published in the American Journal of Cardiology (I’d line to the abstract if I could find it) found that meditation reduces blood pressure and can even prolong life. The study of two older studies found that men and women who meidtated had lower blood pressure than those who did not, and that those who meditated were 23 percent less likely to die from any cause than those who did not meditate.

They were also 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease and 49 percent less likely to die from cancer than their non-breathing counterparts.

Meditation is also great because it is relaxing and can give you insights into the larger meaning of things. It doesn’t have to be thought of as a religious thing, or as a crazy hippie thing, but simply as a way to relieve stress and possibly even protect your body from illness. That sounds like a pretty good reason to start, doesn’t it?

Meditation can be difficult in the beginning, your mind is always wandering and you don’t feel like you’re getting anything useful out of the time you spend. But you are, even when you struggle. Just focus on deep breath and giving yourself time and space to relax, and in time you will find that you can relax more quickly and easily. You might just get some other benefits, too.

Try it for a week and see what happens. Just 15 minutes a day, sitting or lying in a comfortable position, focusing on nothing but taking deep breaths. You’ll be glad you did.

Sarah White wrote this on May 13th, 2005 and filed it under Healthy Living, Women's Health, Men's Health, Health & Aging |