Stress is the cause of up to 90% of doctor visits, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There’s good news behind that statistic: If stress is the root of most illnesses, then alternative therapies that lower tension, like meditation, can reduce your risks for health problems later on. When practiced regularly—meaning every day for at least 10 to 20 minutes—meditation adds years to your life, researchers are finding. Here are a few examples.
Prevent hypertension. Transcendental meditation (TM) has consistently proven to reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing risks of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. “Hypertension affects more than 70 million Americans,” says Vernon A. Barnes, a physiologist at the Medical College of Georgia who has conducted studies on the effects of TM on blood pressure. “You can be at risk if you have a genetic predisposition, are overweight, or deal with a lot of stress, either on the job or at home. During transcendental meditation you alter the thinking process to a more settled state. Physiologically your breathing slows, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure drops, and you are in a restful state similar to sleep, maybe even deeper.”
Reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s. Early indicators show that meditation might prevent early cognitive impairment. “We do have some evidence that over a period of time meditation causes long-term changes in the brain,” says Andrew Newberg, M.D., from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “The questions then are: Can you think of the brain in some way as a muscle, and is meditation a good exercise to strengthen the brain?” In an 8-week program, Newberg is testing the effects of Kirtan Kriya (prayer chants) on people with mild cognitive impairment.
Live longer. Stress can be linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. “When you reduce stress it can help you to decrease tobacco and alcohol use, and improve your diet. When you are feeling less stressed, you are less likely to make poor decisions day-to-day,” Dr. Barnes says.
TEN TO ZEN
This simple 10-minute step-by-step guide from Lorin Roche, author of Meditation 24/7 and Meditation for Women, is a handy guide for people who don’t have much experience slowing down and sitting still. “In this meditation, we use natural sounds and sensations as the focus,” Roche says. See, nothing artificial.
1. Find a comfortable place to sit. (If you are experienced or strong enough to sit cross-legged on the floor with your back straight, do so.)
2. Breathe out with a deep sigh. Let your head fall forward. Inhale, lift your shoulders, then let them drop. Do this for 10 breaths or about 1 minute. Your eyes can be open or closed.
3. Sit and observe your internal experience. If your eyes are open, allow them to close lightly; don't squeeze them shut. If thoughts zoom through your head or aches or itches creep up, try to notice them without giving in to them. Do three “whoosh” breaths as you say silently, “I welcome all my thoughts, emotions, and sensations.” Aches and tingles will tempt you to turn outward and indulge the external world. Don’t. Endure the intensity—it will be followed immediately by peace and ease.
4. Now simply pay attention to the outgoing breath for a few minutes. Open your mouth slightly on the exhale. As you breathe out, imagine any sound you like; here are a few suggestions—AH, or OH, or EEE.
5. You can end your meditation with a focused thought (often referred to as an intention). For example: I ask that I find more balance. Think this thought three or four times in a leisurely way. This will take less than a minute.
6. Open your eyes and sit still for a minute. Gradually transition back into action.
