Yes, potentially quite a bit.
When the term Mind Body Health is used meditation is often at the center of this self-treatment. We have long known our mind influences how our body responds usually by the change in production of hormones. For example, if I am going to run in 10 minutes the production of the hormone Cortisol increases causing my heart rate and respiration to increase, the blood to be shunted to muscles of action and away from the intestinal tract. Cortisol also elevates the core body temperature, and increases visual acuity. Remarkabley, I have not changed my physical activity I just have thought about it. This is a healthy example of how our system works effectively preparing the body for an upcoming physical demand.
What happens in our lifestyle where stress (Cortisol) does not have a physical release? It creates an unhealthy metabolic environment and if we are under constant stress then it has long term negative health consequences. This is where meditation can have dramatic effects. By relaxing our mind and changing our breathing to slower, deeper breathes we lower our stress hormones. Many studies have shown the benefits of daily meditation and they include the following:
- Reduction in anxiety
- A sense of well being
- Clearer focus and concentration
- Improvement in both short and long term memory
- Improvement in sleep quality
- Improvement in diseases like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Depression, Diabetes, PTSD…
On a personal note, with the onset of Covid I had increased stress in my life that elevated my Cortisol level over twice the normal amount with associated sleep disturbances. This occurred despite exercising regularly. My elevated Cortisol also produced higher-than-normal daily blood pressure and heart rate. I decided to practice meditation by using a device and software program named Brain Tap. I would take my heart rate and blood pressure prior to the twenty-minute session and then afterwards. My heart rate would drop 10-15 beats per minute and my upper blood pressure reading (systolic) would drop over twenty points. More interestingly my sleep the day I meditated would be better.
In a future blog we will discuss how to meditate and if you are interested ask me about abdominal breathing on your next visit as well as Brain Tapping.
