You may be wondering “What will I get out of meditation? What’s the point?”

There are numerous documented studies that outline some of the benefits of meditation, as briefly outlined below.

Even short meditation sessions have been proven to reduce cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is one of the stress hormones that can cause many problems in the body if it is high for a prolonged period.

-Reduces blood pressure.

Current Perspectives on the Use of Meditation to Reduce Blood Pressure

High cortisol levels increase blood pressure, and when blood pressure becomes too high it can be a medical emergency, leading to stroke and heart problems even death. As meditation reduces cortisol levels it can reduce blood pressure levels naturally.

-Lowers blood sugar

Mind–Body Interactions and Mindfulness Meditation in Diabetes

High cortisol levels increase blood sugar levels. For people who already have diabetes this can mean they may need to adjust their medication or insulin levels to compensate. For those without diabetes, prolonged high blood sugar levels or dramatic spikes in blood sugar levels can increase your risk of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

As meditation reduces cortisol it can help control high blood sugar levels.

-Reduces inflammation in the body.

Beneficial Effects of Meditation on Inflammation | The Institute for Functional Medicine

As cortisol causes inflammation in the body, it can be felt as pain, heat, redness or swelling.

Improvement to inflammation symptoms can be felt in as little as 6 weeks by following an anti inflammatory diet, reducing stress and doing light daily exercise.

-Improved mood and mental health.

health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-meditation-helps-with-depression

Meditation helps you deal with overall stress, anxiety and depression symptoms. It is often recommended to patients by psychologists, psychiatrists and other medical professionals as a way to help patients improve their mental health. Meditation brings a sense of calm to the body and mind that can be used anywhere, anytime. Meditation increases serotonin , a chemical in the body that

reduces depressive symptoms and stabilises your mood.

-Improve focus and memory

The science of how meditation changes your brain, explained. By Joseph Stromberg

In MRI scans, meditators brains look physically different.

As you focus on breathing and controlling your wandering thoughts, you will train your mind to be more focused, increasing productivity. As we notice when we are very stressed we can have trouble concentrating, as we meditate it helps us get back in control of our minds. Studies have shown that meditation also increases cognitive function, increasing memory and reducing brain fog.