The Benefits of Meditation
What are the physical benefits of meditation?
We now know that stress can contribute to nearly every ailment out there. From diabetes to thyroid disorders, stress can exacerbate the issue. And daily meditation can help you become more mindful of your stress, and in response, lower your stress load.
Poor sleep quality can add to your stress load. Even if you are getting the right amount of sleep you need, if your brain is still in high gear, you will feel fatigue the next day. Through meditation, you will learn how to “turn off” your brain. Fifteen minutes of daily meditation is equivalent to 1.5 hours of napping. So when you do have a bad night of sleeping, meditation can give you the boost you need without getting that nap hangover. It can also help you avoid the need for caffeine.
One of the benefits of daily meditation is that it may directly help you with your keto diet goals by improving mindfulness. We are taught to eat six small meals a day, or always be snacking. We lose the ability to listen to our hunger cues. Through daily meditation, you are becoming more in tune with your body, and what it needs. Ketogenic diet meditating will play a big part in reaching your weight loss goals, since you don’t need to eat nearly as much food on a ketogenic diet.
What are the mental benefits of meditation?
We spend most of our days on autopilot. Have you ever driven home, only to realize you have no memory of the trip? Meditation can bring you back into the present. Even just 10 minutes of meditation has been shown to improve focus and help you process information more quickly.
There have been studies showing that meditation can change the gray and white matter of the brain, which is responsible for awareness, emotion regulation, and memory. So, by meditating, you are strengthening your brain, helping you to be more efficient.
Another one of the benefits of daily meditation is that it has been shown to improve anxiety and depression. It has also been shown to lower levels of fatigue and confusion.
How do I begin meditating?
It can be hard to develop a mediation routine because it is not as straight forward as a workout or diet plan. But there are a bunch of resources out there that can be a great guide to your mindfulness practice. There are apps like Headspace, which will start you out with just 10 minutes a day. They have both guided and unguided meditation, and have sessions that focus on relationships, anxiety, and so on.
Or you can just take a few minutes a day, where you can find a quiet spot, and just try to clear your mind. You can sit on a folded blanket, sit in a chair, or lay down if you think you can stay awake. Just try to be present in the moment, and push out any thoughts that are stressful and distracting. It will take practice, but the benefits are worth it.
Best of luck to you as you begin your daily meditation practice! Comment below with tips on meditation techniques that have worked for you.