Benefits Of Meditation: How Mindfulness Helps Boosts Immunity, Reduce Stress

New age technology is robbing us all from the one thing we need the most for a healthy, low-stress life: silence. According to the Medical Daily, "In an age where the world is at our fingertips 24/7, it’s easy for our minds and bodies to be on digital overload". Disconnecting from the world and quieting our minds with meditation may help us recharge our physical, emotional, and mental health.

Live and Dare blogger Giovanni Dienstmann has summarized over 3,000 scientific discoveries on the benefits of meditation. Some studies even show that just 20 minutes per day for a few weeks is enough to reap the benefits, including boosting immunity and reducing stress.

According to the Medical Daily,  a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found meditation training can boost antibody levels — proteins produced by the body's immune system when it detects antigens (harmful substances) — in just eight weeks. Meditation increases activity in the prefrontal cortex, the right anterior insula, and right hippocampus; all parts that control positive emotion, awareness, and anxiety. These brain regions also act as a command center for the immune system, so when stimulated, they help it function more effectively. This suggests a short training program in mindful meditation has demonstrable effects on the brain and immune function.

Inevitably, meditation is touted for its stress-reducing benefits. A study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology found some mindfulness training goes a long way when it comes to quieting the mind during stressful situations. Participants who completed mindfulness training were less likely to show signs of stress during stress-inducing tasks, such as completing speech or math tests in front of "stern-faced evaluators."

Although perceived stress levels were low, cortisol production was high, but researchers suggest it's all about learning to cognitively work at it first. The automatic mindfulness that comes from meditating over a long period of time will most likely reduce cortisol levels and boost self-awareness and satisfaction.

Also, check out PositivePsychology.com’s blog “5 Health Benefits of Daily Meditation According to Science” for even more information about the health benefits of meditation.

Learn how to incorporate daily mediation into your life by taking a class here at Community Well, such as Community Yoga, or consider learning tips one-on-one with Psychotherapist Leah Chalofsky, Somatic Healer Sue Kuyper, Holistic Life Coach Tereza Iniguez, and Holistic & Prosperity Practitioner Jennifer Navarro-Marroquin.