21 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation:
1. Builds your ability to redirect and maintain attention (as little as 4 days of short meditations can have an effect).
2. Decreases blood pressure (not only during meditation, but also over time in people who meditate regularly).
3. Diminishes the perception of pain in the brain (may help treat chronic pain when used as a supplement to physical therapy).
4. Helps alleviate depression.
5. Helps fight age-related memory loss and dementia.
6. Helps reduce anxiety-related mental health issues (e.g., social anxiety, phobias, OCD).
7. Helps reduce stress.
8. Helps with weight lose.
9. Helps you avoid triggers for unwanted impulses.
10. Helps you recover from addiction and redirect other unwanted habits.
11. Helps you to "know yourself" (a starting point for making positive changes in your life).
12. Helps you to become aware of thoughts, feelings or impulses that you normally suppress.
13. Helps you to create a more positive outlook on life.
14. Helps you to develop positive feelings - first toward yourself - and then toward others.
15. Helps you to relax and control the "runaway" thoughts that interfere with sleep.
16. Increases memory and mental clarity.
17. Increases positivity, empathy, and compassionate behavior toward others.
18. Reduces stress on the heart and arteries, helping prevent heart disease.
19. Reduces symptoms in people with stress-triggered medical conditions.
20. Rids your mind of unwanted distractions and ruminations.
21. Shortens the time it takes to fall asleep - and helps increase sleep quality.
