When the topic of mindfulness comes up, there are people out there who still imagine that meditation is the domain of free spirits who enjoy zoning out on a woven grass mat somewhere. But the fact is that there’s nothing woo-woo about mindfulness and awareness meditation.

Though it has its roots in Buddhism, non-secular mindfulness meditation as practiced today is accessible to people of all backgrounds and beliefs. Despite its remarkable popularity, you may wonder “But why should I meditate?” To begin to answer this (justifiable) question, we provide four interesting facts about meditation below.

A few facts you may not know about meditation:

1. Meditation makes you happier

People who meditate generally lead happier lives than those who don’t. Meditation is known to enhance the flow of constructive thoughts and positive emotions. Even a few minutes spent meditating regularly can make a big difference. Scientific evidence supports this claim: extensive studies were conducted on a group of Buddhist monks as they were meditating. The pre-frontal cortex of the monks’ brains (the part associated with happiness) was found to be extra active.

1. Meditation helps you manage anxiety, stress and depression

The transformative potential of meditation shouldn’t be underestimated. Studies conducted at the University of Wisconsin proved that meditation has physiological effects on the brain. For example, researchers found that the part of the brain that regulates stress and anxiety shrinks when meditation is practiced consistently. By focusing on moment-by-moment experiences, meditators are training the mind to remain calm, even in stressful situations. Along with this, they also experience significantly less anxiety due to uncertainty about the future.

1. Meditation helps you fall asleep

Insomnia is a troubling condition – everybody dreads a sleepless night. Sadly, about a third of the American population suffers from some form of sleep deprivation, whether occasional or chronic. If you’re one of those misfortunate folk who stare at the ceiling and count sheep all night to no avail, meditation just might be a solution. An article in the Harvard Health Blogconfirms that meditation triggers the relaxation response – which is why some people actually have the opposite problem: they fall asleep as soon as they begin to meditate!

1. Meditation sharpens your memory

Apart from enhancing your happiness and improving your overall well-being, meditation also helps your memory stay sharp and your concentration remain steady. With mindfulness meditation, you train in remaining aware of the present moment in a non-judgmental manner. Consequently, distractions are less and less likely to sweep you away. Just one more reason why you should meditate.

Want to learn more? The Wellbeing Girl runs a community whereby Yoga & meditation is at the centre.

My intention is to offer enough structure to help you develop but not overwhelm you! We will drop in lots of awesome content throughout the month on the topic of choice, e.g. journal prompts, meditations, coaching exercises, guest speakers etc..

Our monthly timetable is:

1 x Yoga & Breath work with Lizzie Daley

this will be on the FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH

1 x Guided meditation with Caroline Dearlove

this will be on the SECOND MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH

1 x Monthly yoga with Eden Dalton-Thompson

this will be on the THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH

The final week will be for journal prompts, reflection and rest

Join today by clicking here: https://thewellbeinggirl.co.uk/shop/bronze-community

Blog Post Created by Natalie Davis, Founder of The Wellbeing Girl