Meditation and Mindfulness

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines mindfulness as the awareness of your internal states an surroundings. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of focusing on your breathing patterns, thoughts, feelings and sensations. According to APA, this meditation is used to become highly in tune with sensory information and to focus on each moment as it happens. Meditation can really increase your physical experiences such as increased relaxation, fortify healing, recovery and stronger immune response. Some of the benefits you avail from mindfulness meditation are - 

1. Better sleep cycle 

According to national sleep foundation, adults 18-64 years old need about 7-9 hours of sleep at night. Being sleep-deprived can cause a lot of negative effects on your mind, body and soul. Mindfulness meditation can help cure some of that sleep-deprivation and improve your sleep habits. JAMA internal medicine conducted a research study with 49 older adults with moderate sleep difficulties and noticed that mindfulness meditation has helped them experience fewer insomnia symptoms and less daytime fatigue. 

2. Improved weight management and maintenance

According to studies, mindfulness meditation can help you lose weight and follow cleaner eating habits. With mindfulness you get think more actively about your body and what goes inside, you tend to watch what you eat most of the time 

3. Low stress levels 

Mindfulness meditation improves psychological functioning in people and enables them to experience reduced level of emotional exhaustion, stress, psychological distress, depression, anxiety and occupational stress  

4. Increased attention span 

Meditation tens to enhance your focus and energy levels throughout the day. According to studies, initial effects of brief meditation can positive impact your attention span when interacting with people and in other daily life activities