5 Ways Meditation Quells Anxiety

It's normal to feel stressed about taking a test, moving to a new place, or starting a new job. Although this type of anxiety is offensive, it may settle with time and does not interfere with your everyday life. Ordinary anxiety may help motivate you to work harder and to do a better job.

With an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear, sadness and low mood may be with you all the time. This type of anxiety is intense and may cause you to stop doing things you enjoy. In advanced stages, it may prevent you from leaving your home, crossing the street, or entering an elevator. If left untreated, the anxiety disorder will keep getting worse.

Meditation has been known as one of the best antidotes for anxiety. Research regarding the benefits of meditation for generalized anxiety disorder has been positive. Studies have shown that practicing meditation can reduce anxiety and help bring positive changes in overall health, behavior, attitudes, and personality. Here are some of its well-known benefits.

1. Reduces Stress

Stress is the number one risk factor of generalized anxiety disorder. Generally, both mental and physical stress causes increased levels of the stress hormone in the body that is also called cortisol. This hormone produces harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals in the body called cytokines. Furthermore, these effects can also disturb sleep, promote anxiety and depression. Stress increases blood pressure and contributes to fatigue.

You will be amazed to know that stress reduction is considered as one of the most common reasons that people try meditation. It reduces the inflammation caused by stress and improves the symptoms of all stress-related conditions such as IBS and fibromyalgia. According to the recent study, it is reported that more than 3,500 people showed that mindfulness meditation lives up to its reputation for stress reduction. 

2. Promotes Emotional Health

Meditation reduces anxiety triggers and lead to an improved self-image. In this way, you can get a more positive outlook on life, and you can also experience a long term decrease in anxiety and depression.

Some inflammatory chemicals that are also called cytokines released by the body in response to stress. It can decrease the production of cytokines and affect the mood that directly leads to depression and anxiety. 

3. Reduce Overthinking

Meditation is known as a simple practice that is available to all, which can reduce axiety, increase calmness, and promote happiness. It can help the person to understand his mind and help prevent overthinking that's holding you back from taking action. It also allows you to learn how to transform your mind from negative thinking to positive, from unhappy to happy and from disturbed to peaceful. 

It is fascinating to know that overcoming negative thoughts and cultivating constructive ideas is the primary purpose of meditation found in the Buddhist tradition. Meditation is a profound spiritual practice that you can enjoy throughout the day. However, it is essential to know that the most common form of meditation is breath meditation. It rests your attention on your breath. Yet, various Buddhist traditions have slightly different instructions for breath meditation. 

4. Improves mental health and well being

Increasing your brain capacity for meditation supports many behaviors that contribute to a joyful, satisfying life. Being mindful helps the practitioner become fully engaged in joyful activities, makes it easier to enjoy the pleasures in life, and creates a higher physical and mental capacity to deal with adverse events. 

In recent years, health experts such as psychotherapists and psychiatrists have turned to mindfulness as an essential element in the treatment of many psychological problems, including stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, couples' conflicts, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.