You probably know someone who swears by meditation. And it seems like every week a new study comes out on the effects it can have on your body. But can meditation, an activity that is purely cerebral, have an effect on your fitness levels? The answer is a surprising yes.

Behind-The-Scenes Brain Activity

So why exactly does meditation affect the brain? What is going on in your head that’s so important when you just stop and relax? For one, studies have shown that meditation seems to increase the activity in the front of your brain. Using historic knowledge about brain function, this indicates more positive emotional states. It’s also associated with some big-time developments in your physique.

Brain To Body

What sort of physical effects can you expect if you give meditation a try? It turns out that focused meditation is actually more powerful than many medications! Instead of releasing that stress-induced adrenalin and cortisol to your system, try some god old-fashioned relaxation. Check out this surprising list of benefits, proven in medical studies:

Increased Immunity : Spend less time suffering from the common cold and other ailments. Meditation switches on your immune system’s reflexes, keeping you healthier, longer.

Lower Blood Pressure : Blood flow is vastly improved in people that regularly meditate. Perhaps you don’t worry much about your blood pressure, but everyone benefits from a slowing heart rate and increased oxygen and nutrients to the body.

Beat Inflammation : Inflammation is a contributing factor to heart disease, skin conditions, and asthma. Meditation can help prevent the symptoms to an extent only equalled by medication.

Meditating, Minute By Minute

Not convinced that you can fit meditation into your busy schedule? Hold on a second. Studies suggest that a mere five hours of meditation can be enough to positively affect the way your mind works. And if you can round up ten minutes daily, you can be on your way to meditation success.

For a simple exercise to begin to explore meditation, try this: Sit down and relax with your eyes closed. Focus on your breathing and the flow at the tip of your nose. If your mind wanders, accept it and return your attention back to the flow of your breath.

It’s as easy as that. While meditation isn’t a replacement for cardio, muscle work and stretching in your fitness regimen, it could be an important piece of the puzzle in your overall health.

Join a Yoga class near you and indulge yourself in meditation:

Mumbai  | Delhi | Pune | Bangalore |  Hyderabad | Ahmedabad | Gurgaon  | Noida