When you google benefits of meditation, most content you find is around “reducing stress and anxiety”. And that’s great. But it’s not the full picture.
Today, I want to share with you 3 physical health benefits of meditation, that you may not find elsewhere.
Let’s begin.
- Look younger and have more energy.
Is there a soul on this planet that doesn’t want this? Hahaha.
I’ve experienced this first hand. In the video below is a picture of me 5 years ago when I was in my peak “party life” going over the top with drugs and alcohol.
So how does meditation make you look younger?
A very simple way is that you learn to breathe correctly – from the diaphragm, slowly & DEEPLY.
This increases the amount of oxygen in your body – naturally nourishing & rejuvenating the entire system.
But the real benefit is what the science of Yoga will tell you about your breaths.
We are all born with a specific number of breaths alloted to us. Our lifespan = this number of breaths.
Just by breathing slower, it is said that you can live longer.
Check out this example from nature.
Dogs – Breaths per minute = 60. Lifespan = 10-20 years
Humans. Breaths per minute = 15. Lifespan = 60-100 year
Turtles. Breaths per minute = 4. Lifespan = 150 years.
PS in case you’re wondering “but dogs breathe 15 times per minute”? Yes. Only at rest. When they are active and panting they can breathe up to 200 times per minute so 60 is a conservative average.
In short, meditation promotes slow and deep breathing that you eventually begin to maintain throughout the day. It slows down the aging process, makes you look younger and actually FEEL more energetic!
- Stronger immune system.
Yes, meditation strengthens your immune system.
According to Yogic Science, the simple act of becoming still activates your body’s natural healing abilities.
Animals know this.
Ever notice how when an animal gets hurt, it simply goes and rests for a couple of days. It doesn’t even eat.
Both of these (stillness & fasting) activate the body’s natural healing abilities.
Making it stronger and more immune to outside threats.
Unlike the animals, us humans are a different story. We don’t like the simple things. Especially if we can’t see the science. Lol.
So….
According to a recent NIH study
countering a dysregulated or hypersensitive immune system profile with mindfulness meditation could theoretically function to improve organism fitness by enhancing immune defenses that protect against viral and bacterial infection, as well as various age-related disease conditions, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, type-2 diabetes, frailty, and some cancers.
- Deep rest.
Ah. The one thing we all need more of, in this modern world.
This one alone has the power to turn your entire life around. Imagine not being tired a lot of the time?
Meditation helps because….
Ok let me ask you a question. Why do you shower every morning?
To clean off the dirt and sweat your body accumulated every single day, right?
But when you think about it. We live more in our minds than in our body.
You know the saying, “you’re too much in your own head”.
The dirt our minds accumulate is all the inputs that go in daily.
Blasts of useless information from scrolling social media.
An argument with someone.
News – negative news.
And ofcourse… all the trauma you have accumulated since childhood.
We are NEVER taught to sit and clean the dirt of our mind.
And because there is so much “clutter” in the mind… REAL rest becomes impossible.
Because even when we are sleeping, the mind is still active.
This is not real sleep, according to the science of Yoga.
Real sleep, is sleep AFTER throwing off the burdens of the mind.
And this can be done through meditation.
Infact, there is a specific meditation designed for this – to relax our 3 main systems.
Physical, mental and emotional. It’s called Yoga Nidra, or psychic sleep.
You can do free guided meditations of this on my youtube channel – @meditatewithrishi, in the guided meditations playlist. Try it!
It is said that 1 hour of Yoga Nidra = 4 hours of sleep in terms of rest.
But hey, those are just numbers. You don’t have to believe them.
Try it though, for a week, and see how you feel. I’m confident you’ll love it.
So deep rest is possible. A stronger immune system (to fight covid) is possible. Looking and feeling younger, is possible.
There is no reason not to practice.
Practice.
Practice Daily.
Stay safe.
Peace & Love
Rishi