WHAT ARE SOME REPORTED MEDICAL BENEFITS OF MEDITATION?
In February, 2015, Forbes Magazine reported on the positive effects that meditation and mindfulness have on the brain. These include an increase in the ability to concentrate, a reduction in anxiety levels and an improved sense of well-being.
A 2012 study from the American Heart Association found that meditating for 20 minutes twice daily can result in a 48% reduction in the chance of sudden death, heart attack and stroke. A review of the study found that meditation lowered blood pressure and stress.
As early as 1995, the National Institutes of Health concluded that behavioral and relaxation interventions (including meditation) are effective in treating chronic pain and insomnia.