See the benefits of meditation and learn how to combine it with physical activity

We no longer hear that meditation is only a matter of monks and people who are very “spiritually evolved”, do we?

Nowadays, the practice of meditating is increasingly widespread, disconnecting from religions and often being a medical treatment for cases of anxiety and depression.

The benefits of meditation are diverse, bringing feelings of well-being, fullness and inner peace. When combined with physical exercise, this activity becomes a real weapon against some physical and psychological diseases.

Are you interested in the subject? Continue reading and understand the power that meditation has on our mind and body. Come on?

What is meditation?

The answer to this question can be quite diffuse, because it depends on the culture, perspective and purposes that it practically has when meditating.

From a more scientific point of view, we can say that meditation is a mental technique that allows the control or emptying of thoughts.

This technique aims to improve neural connections – and seeks to redo some brain circuits that, if defective, lead to diseases such as depression and anxiety.

How should meditation be done?

Just as there are several concepts of meditation, the way of doing it also varies greatly.

There are practitioners who meditate in the most traditional way, with their legs crossed, while others prefer to meditate in chairs or armchairs (and even standing or walking).

What all these ways of meditating have in common is the control of breathing, because it is through it that you can calm your thoughts and reach a state that goes beyond thinking and not thinking – or, as many say, the “nirvana”.

What does science say about the benefits of meditation?

There are several scientific articles around the world that prove the effectiveness of meditation to improve mental and physical health. See some of them.

According to an article published in the American magazine Psichology Today, daily meditation considerably decreases the individual’s stress levels, regardless of the situation he is in.

Another study also showed that meditation practitioners may be more immune to pathogens, with an increase in antibodies against some viruses and bacteria.

In addition, scientists have confirmed that meditation also improves sleep quality and performance in studies, including in adolescents.

Why combine meditation and physical exercise?

Healthy mind, healthy body. This Latin phrase could not be better used to summarize why it is so beneficial to combine meditation with physical activities.

This is because the combination provides practically the best of both worlds, that is, in the physical and mental part.

In addition, meditation helps in the performance of physical activities by increasing the endurance of the practitioner, since he needs to dive for several minutes inside himself and change his state of consciousness until reaching the expected well-being.

Likewise, physical exercise also helps in meditation by releasing dopamine, the well-being hormone. With more dopamine in the neuronal circuits, meditating for long minutes is much easier, as well as reaching the state of “nirvana”

As we have seen, the benefits of meditation go far beyond the feeling of peace and relaxation. Therefore, this practice can improve performance in physical activities, especially if done just before the beginning of the exercises.

When combined, physical exercise and meditation can greatly improve the quality of life for anyone.

So, did you like the article? Enjoy and share this content on your social networks and promote well-being among your friends and family!