One of the most offensive phrases a person can utter to you when you are anxious, stressed or generally overwhelmed is “relax.” It triggers and insults us all at once while dripping with condescension. Why, thank you, we immediately think. Why didn’t I think of that? There should be a campaign to ban this suggestion altogether because commanding someone to relax has never worked. Only slightly better is the suggestion to breathe. But we will take it.
“Breathe.” It feels obvious, yet when we are distraught and our bodies clench up, we sometimes forget the power of a deep, cleansing breath that sweeps out stale air and invites in new life. Breath work and similar forms of meditation have been proven to calm us, ground us and help regulate our emotions. But we now know that meditation can do more than benefit our mental health. It can have unexpectedly positive effects on our bodies as well.
Meditation and Physical Health
Dr. Rashmi Bismark, a preventive care physician, author and meditation expert, explains that meditation engages the relaxation response in our body, which is the opposite of the stress response. This concept was pioneered by the late Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson, whose research showed how meditation practices can reduce stress. That work opened up a whole series of studies looking at the benefits to the physical body.
Three Key Physical Benefits
Here are three links between meditation and our physical health that are worth paying attention to:
- Nervous system and blood pressure regulation: The American Heart Association now recommends meditation as part of a healthy lifestyle.
- Immune system: Ongoing research shows meditation is linked to shifts in inflammation markers in our bodies, addressing the concern of inflammation.
- Cellular aging: Some research suggests that a meditation practice can have beneficial effects on the integrity of our telomeres, which help protect us from illnesses associated with physical aging.
Starting a Meditation Practice
Bismark reminds us that adopting a meditation practice that will benefit us in the long run can take time and patience. Involving community can be helpful. “Anyone who has meditated or been in any kind of contemplative space in a group, I think you cannot deny the effects. It is that shared experience,” she said, mentioning sound baths, yoga and other types of group meditations. “I hope we really begin to nurture that space of practicing together.”
During this episode, we also discuss the origins of yoga and meditation, myths about breath work, and how to start a meditation practice from scratch. Make sure to subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” on your preferred podcast platform to hear the full episode and more topics like how to apologize, vanquish credit card debt, find love online, overcome anxiety, and much more.
