“Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit.” – Jeremy Taylor

We all know about meditation, but only a few of us really take time out of our day to clear our minds and empty our thoughts. Perhaps these benefits of mediation, that are both mental and physical, will motivate you to try to work meditation into your daily life.

Meditation lowers blood pressure. Multiple studies show that meditation induces relaxation, causing an increase in compound nitric oxide which allows blood vessels to open up and reduce blood pressure. In some studies, meditation was found to be a replacement for blood pressure medication as it worked for patients in the same degree.

Meditation slows the aging process in the brain. A researcher at Harvard University, Sara Lazar, said, “Cognition seems to be preserved in meditators.” A study showed that meditators have longer telomeres, the caps on chromosomes indicative of biological age (rather than chronological). Researchers believe meditation has this effect through a reduction in stress.

Meditation increases happiness in various ways. Studies show that meditation increases rain signaling in the left side of the prefrontal cortex, responsible for positive emotions, and decreases activity in the right side, responsible for negative emotions. The increased self-awareness and acceptance in meditators may be the cause for this change in the brain.

Meditation improves concentration and memory. Studies show meditators gain heightened abilities to multitask, complete tasks under stressful situations, as well as recall information through an improved memory.

Meditation improves sleep. Studies show that introducing meditation to insomniacs greatly improved their ability to calm their minds at bed time and get more sleep. Experts say that meditation allows for greater control of one’s mind, making it a great solution to those who can’t seem to slow their thoughts when trying to sleep.