Meditation is a type of mental exercise that focuses on relaxation, concentration, and awareness. It serves the mind in the same way physical activity does the body.

Meditation can help you achieve a state of calm, peace, and balance, which can improve your mental well-being as well as your general health by calming down your nervous system. When it comes to our nervous system, here are some reasons why meditation can be beneficial.

Meditation Calms and Balance Your Nervous System

One of the most important systems in the human body is the nervous system, which serves as the body's control center. It is in charge of two types of responses, voluntary conscious responses generated by muscles, and involuntary responses such as breathing, sweating, and digestion that are beyond our control. As a result, our nervous system should be functioning optimally at all times. That's where meditation comes in.

Stressful situations and strong emotions such as anger, anxiety, and concern can develop into a pattern of repetition. This has a significant impact on our health since it results in an imbalance of critical biological systems. Also, other issues that may arise includes abnormal breathing patterns, poor digestion, an elevated heart rate, abnormal adrenaline flow, and problems with blood pressure. Regular meditation training improves your body's and mind's ability to relax.

Controlling our breath flow teaches our autonomic nervous system to maintain a more balanced state of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. This enhances the heart's and brain's oxygenation, regulates the heartbeat and blood pressure level, and helps the lungs and endocrine system to perform more effectively.

Reduce Stress

Stress affects our nervous system, encounters with adversity frequently fail our normal coping mechanisms, leaving us exposed to burnout and hypertension. We can successfully discipline our minds to survive the storm by cultivating the habit of frequent meditation.

Open Monitoring Meditation and Mindfulness-based Stress Relaxation Techniques have been proved in studies to lower stress hormones and make us more watchful and self-aware. The two primary methods or styles of meditation are listed here.

Different types of meditation

The two most common types of meditation are focused meditation and mindfulness meditation, which benefit your nervous system greatly. You may want to look into Vedic Meditation teachers who can help you get started with your journey into self. All Indian philosophy, yoga, and meditation come from this body of knowledge, which teaches us to align our bodies and everyday lives with nature's rhythms. There are variants of these, including elements and knowledge from a variety of civilisations, philosophies, religions, and spiritual schools.

Concentrated Meditation

This meditation technique entails focusing one's attention on a single item repeatedly. The breath, a sound, a word, a mantra, or a candle flame could all be examples. One can stay more relaxed, focused, and productive by making a conscious effort to bring the senses inward and calm the mind.

Mindfulness Meditation

This is the technique of deep breathing to obtain absolute present moment awareness. When we focus on our breath, we become more aware of our minds and thoughts. We can apply this basic meditation approach every day or more formally to boost our overall health. Mindfulness meditation leads to deeper realms of understanding and a more accepting and compassionate mindset with a guide.

Meditation for Nervous System Healing

Conscious intent influences the autonomic nervous system, responsible for most of our unconscious behaviors. Meditation can assist the autonomic nervous system re-gain stability. Meditation increases awareness, teaches us to let go of stressful thoughts, feelings, or events, and physically calms the body and mind.

Awareness Raised

Meditation helps us become aware of our mental or physical state. With this knowledge, we can respond thoughtfully to our bodies. When the Sympathetic Nervous System is aroused, we may need to walk, run, or take deep breaths to calm down. Recognizing our stress can help us let it go.

Improved Relaxation

Meditation helps us relax and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Meditation reduces stress, improves sleep, and lowers heart rate and blood pressure. Meditation-induced calm is linked to enhanced awareness and emotional management. Whatever motivates you to meditate is a wonderful thing. The rewards you desire will be proportional to your consistency and dedication to practicing.

This article was kindly written and contributed by Hannah Boothe.