While meditation may at first feel unusual as we struggle to let go of our worries and negative thoughts and simply exist in the moment, meditating has been scientifically proven to not only have a major impact on emotional wellbeing, but can in fact rewire the way our brains work.

Here we discuss 10 benefits that meditation will have on your emotional happiness and physical health.

Stress Reduction

Meditation has been proven to reduce the symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety and practitioners report having a deep reserve of calm that can be tapped into when life becomes overwhelming.

One study found that meditation reduces the concentration of the brain tissues associated with stress and anxiety.

An Increased Sense of Wellbeing

Studies on mindfulness meditation have found that it improves psychological functioning and provides practitioners with an overall sense of wellbeing.

Along with tai chi and yoga, mindfulness meditation has been found to have major therapeutic effects when practiced regularly.

Increased Empathy and Connectedness

Loving-Kindness meditation, also known as Metta, can assist those who feel disconnected from those around them.

By enhancing the areas of the brain associated with mental processing and empathy, Loving-Kindness meditation increases your sense of social connectedness.

Improved Attention Span

Studies have repeatedly found that meditation strengthens cognition and increases your ability to perform tasks which require intense focus.

In a study on various meditation types including Transcendental and Vipassana, it was found that all the meditation types improved focus and attention span albeit to varying degrees – perfect for success with the online blackjack Canada has to offer.

Increased Emotional Stability

Meditation has been found to improve one’s ability to relate to others by strengthening the capacity to empathise and sharpens the skill to pick up on the small hints which indicate how someone may be feeling.

Practitioners are also less likely to be emotionally influenced by negative people as meditation also increases emotional stability.

Improved Creativity and Memory

Proven to improve creativity, it’s no wonder that creatives such as David Lynch and Marina Abramović have both made meditation a major priority in their lives.

Meditation has also been proven to strengthen the ability to memorise, store, and consolidate new information.

Stronger Decision Making Skills

A number of high-powered executives have turned to meditation to increase performance as studies have found that Mindfulness and Transcendental meditation both improve the decision making skills of practitioners by strengthening the parts of the brain associated with these functions.

Combatting Addiction

While most of us know someone who has struggled with addiction, what many may not know is that meditation can actually help practitioners overcome these negative habits.

Vipassana meditation has been found to be particularly effective in this regard, while similar effects have been found with other types of meditation as well.

Improved Heart Health

While a balanced diet and exercise all form part of a healthy lifestyle, studies have found that Mindfulness and Transcendental meditation are both incredibly effective in improving overall cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of heart disease.