Health benefits of deep relaxation
The next time you tune out and switch off and let yourself melt, remind yourself of all the good work the relaxation effect is doing on your body. These are just some of the scientifically proven benefits.
Increased immunity: Relaxation appears to boost immunity in recovering cancer patients. A study at the Ohio State University found that progressive muscular relaxation, when practised daily, reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Emotional balance: Emotional balance means to be free of all the neurotic behaviour that results from the existence of a tortured and traumatised ego. This is very hard to achieve fully, but meditation certainly is the way to cure such neurosis and unhealthy emotional states.
Increased fertility: A study at the University of Western Australia found that women are more likely to conceive during periods when they are relaxed rather than stressed.
Relieves irritable bowel syndrome: When patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome began practising a relaxation meditation twice daily, their symptoms of bloating, diarrhoea and constipation improved significantly.
Lowers blood pressure: A study at Harvard Medical School found that meditation lowered blood pressure by making the body less responsive to stress hormones, in a similar way to blood pressure-lowering medication.
Anti-inflammatory: Stress leads to inflammation, a state linked to heart disease, arthritis, asthma and skin conditions such as psoriasis, say researchers at Emory University in the US.
Calmness: The simple difference between those who meditate and those who do not, is that for a meditative mind the thought occurs but is witnessed, while for an ordinary mind, the thought occurs and is the boss. So in both minds, an upsetting thought can occur, but for those who meditate it is just another thought, which is seen as such and is allowed to blossom and die, while in the ordinary mind the thought instigates a storm which rages on and on.
Comments