Practicing meditation not only improves health but also life as a whole, leading to a balanced and fulfilling life, writes P N ARORA
In today’s fast-paced world, many people struggle with stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. As a result, meditation has gained popularity as a powerful tool for improving the quality of life. Not only does meditation help in calming the mind, but it also promotes better sleep.
Meditation is a practice that encourages focused attention and mindfulness, leading to a deep state of relaxation. Practising regularly can significantly lower cortisol levels, our body's primary stress hormone. High cortisol levels are often associated with sleep problems. With mindful eating, regular exercise, and meditation, one may find it easier to fall asleep.
Research indicates that meditation can improve sleep quality. A study found that meditation can reduce insomnia symptoms and improve sleep quality in older adults. By cultivating awareness of thoughts and emotions, meditation allows individuals to manage racing thoughts that often disrupt sleep.
Many meditation practices help significantly improve the quality of sleep. One of these techniques involves focusing on the present and letting go of the intruding thoughts by allowing one to focus on the sensations of breathing. Further, guided imagery helps by equipping the practitioners with the ability to visualise soothing scenes, often guided through a meditation guide, which helps soothe the mind and prepare it for rest. The body scan technique also helps by checking different parts of the body to identify stress and release tension. This helps facilitate both physical relaxation and mental calmness. Lastly, loving-kindness meditation cultivates feelings of love and compassion, improving emotional well-being and reducing stress, making it easier to drift into a peaceful slumber. Together, these techniques offer powerful tools for anyone seeking to improve their sleep through mindful practices.
Meditation has a host of benefits far beyond just sleep improvement. It decreases stress and anxiety because it gives one the feeling of calmness within, reducing anxiety levels and building the strength to stand up again after every fall that comes with life's obstacles. Additionally, mindfulness practices improve concentration and attention significantly, which positively relates to improved cognitive functions and productivity at work throughout the day. This sensitivity increases emotional balance and propels the practice of awareness toward self-consciousness. It also makes one respond much better to everyday situations through conscious thinking.
The impact of meditation on relationships is that it makes it possible to have a compassionate understanding towards others; many even describe that the relationships they maintain with other people become far more profound and richer after meditation practice begins. It is also reported on the physical level by linking the reduction in stress levels with many kinds of health improvements, including lowering blood pressure, better function of the immune systems, and even lowering chronic pain to attain good physical health. Adding meditation into activities would surely bring some much-needed transformation from mental to even physiological status.
Meditation is a great tool to sleep better and have more holistic wellness. By reducing stress levels, meditation creates a peaceful mental condition that allows for rejuvenation and improves the everyday flow of life, in which people can navigate through the tasks of their day more smoothly and peacefully. Not just that; practising this ancient practice not only improves health but also life as a whole, leading to a better-balanced and fulfilling life.
The author is the MD of Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals, Ghaziabad, healthcare provider and Philanthropist; the views are personal
