Here are 20 scientifically-validated reasons you might want to get on the bandwagon today:
It boosts your health.
1. Increases immune function (seehere and here)
2. Decreases pain (seehere)
3. Decreases inflammation at the cellular level (seehere and here)
It boosts yourhappiness.
4. Increases positive emotion (seehereandhere)
5. Decreasesdepressionsee&here)
6. Decreases anxiety (seehere and here)
7. Decreasesstress(seehere andhere)
It boosts yoursocial life.
Think meditation is a solitary activity? It may be (unless you meditate in a group, which many do!), but it actually increases your sense of connection to others:
8. Increases social connection andemotional intelligence(seehere and—by yours truly—here)
9. Makes you more compassionate (seehere and here)
10. Makes you feel lesslonely
It boosts yourself-control.
11. Improves your ability to regulate your emotions (see here). (Ever flown off the handle or not been able to quiet your mind? Here's the key.)
12. Improves your ability to introspect (see here and, for why this is crucial, see this post)
It changes your brain (for the better).
13. Increases grey matter (seehere)
14. Increases volume in areas related toemotion regulation, positive emotions, and self-control (seehere and here)
15. Increases cortical thickness in areas related to payingattention(seehere)
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It improves yourproductivity(yup, by doing nothing).
16. Increases your focus and attention (seehereandhereandhereandhere)
17. Improves your ability to multitask (seehere)
18. Improves yourmemory(seehere)
19. Improves your ability to be creative and think outside the box (see research byJ. Schooler)
It makes youwise(r).
20. It gives you perspective.
By observing your mind, you realize you don't have to be a slave to it. You realize it throws tantrums, gets grumpy,jealous, happy, and sad, but that it doesn't have to run you. Meditation is quite simply mental hygiene: Clear out the junk, tune your talents, and get in touch with yourself.
Think about it, you shower every day and clean your body, but have you ever showered your mind? As a consequence, you'll feel more clear and see things with greater perspective. "The quality of our life depends on the quality of our mind," writesSri Sri Ravi Shankar. We can't control what happens on the outside but we do have a say over the quality of our mind. No matter what's going on, if your mind is OK, everything is OK. Right now.
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