Meditation is the practice of quieting the mind and concentrating internally for some time. It’s an ancient practice that has gained modern recognition as a powerful way to reduce stress, promote relaxation and improve memory, concentration, and mood. Can it help you live a longer life?
Scientific evidence suggests that regular meditation can improve psychological conditions, such as anxiety and depression, which can affect mortality. Meditation has been shown to strengthen the immune system and reduce levels of cortisol, known as the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels are linked to higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.
Research paper
A review of two randomized controlled trials was published in the American Journal of Cardiology and looked at the effect of meditation on mortality. The first group included participants with mild hypertension (high blood pressure) living in a nursing home with an average age of 81; the second group included community-dwelling older adults aged 67.
Participants were divided into groups and instructed in transcendental meditation, mindfulness meditation, mental relaxation, or progressive muscle relaxation techniques. Participants in the control group were given general health education classes.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is described as a simple technique that involves sitting comfortably with eyes closed for 15–20 minutes per session twice a day to achieve a state of ‘calm alertness. Mindfulness meditation training focuses on breathing and impartially observing thoughts as they arise in mind. Subjects using mindfulness relaxation techniques were asked to repeat a phrase or verse to themselves during each session. Finally, subjects using progressive muscle relaxation were taught to gradually release tension in each major muscle group to achieve an overall calm state.
Participants were assessed after three months. The Transcendental Meditation groups from both trials reported significantly lower blood pressure than the other meditation and control groups, but most interesting is the long-term data.
The researchers followed up on the original trials to determine the participants’ vital status, derived from the National Mortality Index maintained by the National Centre for Health Statistics. Of the 202 subjects in the initial two clinical trials, 101 died at follow-up. These deaths were coded based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) to determine the cause of death.
The results showed that after an average of 7.6 years (up to a maximum of almost 19 years), subjects practicing TM were 23% less likely to die of any cause and 30% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease during this period. The same period. Subjects were also 49% less likely to die of cancer during the follow-up period.
Longevity
The authors of the review suggest that the benefits of meditation are almost the same as medication therapy for hypertension, without side effects. However, they do not recommend meditation instead of medication, which has been shown to reduce high blood pressure.
According to the authors, this is the first long-term analysis of the effect of non-medication therapy on mortality rates in people with high blood pressure. Two important questions remain: will meditation improve longevity in people with normal blood pressure? And What type of relaxation or meditation technique provides the most significant benefit for longevity?
Although future research may answer these questions with greater certainty, many are happily satisfied with the rush of energy and well-being that meditation provides in the short term. Start and try to incorporate a regular meditation practice into your life.
Inite
Your tranquillity, inner balance, and strength affect your life, including your brain and ideas! Inite has decided to support players and introduce meditation bonuses, showing their importance and necessity. You meditate for 10 minutes in the morning and, after that, write down 1–2 good ideas. The amount of energy equals the maximum meditation time in minutes — at the outset, the player has five power which means they can meditate or rest for 25 minutes. Energy increases depending on gadget quality and quantity, so if a player wishes to increase energy, they must purchase additional devices.
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