Does Meditation Work?

By: Matthew Funeral Home
Monday, October 19, 2020


Meditation is often praised as a method for finding balance and serenity. More and more people turn to meditation as a way to find peace in a hectic work-week. Some companies like Google and Apple even integrate meditation into work hours for their developers. Meditation is a practice that has persisted for centuries. But what does meditation do for you? Does it really work? 

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is a process in which you clear your mind and stay in a state of calm. Meditation takes time to get used to, and in many ways is a skill itself. Meditation can be done for short or long periods. Ultimately, meditation is a way to train the mind to raise your awareness.

Basic Meditation

There are many different forms of meditation, but this is a basic idea of how to meditate. To start, go to a quiet place; and sit or lie comfortably. Close your eyes, and simply breathe. Do not try to control your breath, just let your body breathe naturally. Focus on how your breathing affects your body. Notice how your body moves as you breathe. Your chest moves, your rib cage extends out, your shoulders rise and fall. Observe your breathing without trying to control its intensity or pace. If your mind begins to wander, try to return your focus to your breathing.

Meditation as an Antidepressant

A recent study from Johns Hopkins shows a connection between clearing your mind and depression. The study looked into meditation as a way to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Their study showed that the effect size of meditation actually rivaled that of antidepressant medications. However, like antidepressants, meditation is not a silver bullet cure for depression. Depression is a complex issue that is different for everyone.

Preserving the Mind

Meditation has been shown to reduce the effects of aging in the brain. A 2015 study from UCLA showed that people who practice meditation had a greater volume of grey matter than those of the same age that did not meditate. According to the study, meditation seems to help fortify the brain against deterioration from aging; across the whole brain.

Concentration & Meditation

Focus and concentration can be improved by meditation. A study has shown that meditation can improve your cognitive skills dramatically. Even just a couple of weeks of meditation could benefit your focus and memory skills. This is part of why many companies, such as Google, have added meditation spaces into their offices.

Meditation and Grief

Meditation can be helpful in making you feel calm and relaxed. Because of this, it can be a helpful tool in the grieving process. Taking the time to clear your mind and relax can be very important in self-care and overcoming grief. Grief can make nights restless with thoughts of your loved one. But meditation can help you put your mind at ease. Meditation helps ease stress and reduce muscle tension and headaches; which are all common symptoms of grief.

The author of this post is not a professional therapist or counselor. For assistance in finding a grief counselor that is right for you, there are a number of resources out there. For our Grief Resource Center, written by Dr. Bill Webster, click here
For over 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.

Leave a comment
Name*:
Email:
Comment*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.

Comments

Please wait

Previous Posts

How to Choose a Good Funeral Home

When a loved one passes, or when pre-planning your own funeral, it is important to choose a funeral home that you are comfortable with. While dealing with the loss of a loved one, planning a funera...

Talking to Your Children About Cancer

    When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, it can be hard for the whole family to process. But if you have young children, you may have to approach the news differently. The conc...

Why do People Look Different In the Casket?

When attending a funeral for a loved one, it is not uncommon for people to think that the body in the casket looks a bit different from their loved one. The reason for this is both real and psychol...

Tips for Grieving During the Holidays

The holiday season is here. For many, it is a light at the end of shorter days and cold, blistering nights. But when dealing with the loss of a loved one, the holidays can sting. Celebrating a holi...

Winter Safety for the Elderly

Winter is almost here, and with cold weather comes safety risks for elderly individuals. Between icy paths and freezing temperatures, it can be important to help your older loved ones stay safe in ...

Memorial Services for Veterans

As Veteran’s Day approaches, we wanted to share information on veteran memorial services and funerals. A big part of planning a funeral for veterans or servicemembers is the memorialization of thei...

Choosing a Casket for Your Loved One

Choosing a casket is an important part of the funeral process. Many families choose the casket after their loved one has passed, but some people choose their casket ahead of time. This article will...

Grief and Tragic Backstories in Media

From superheroes to romantic comedies, many movies and TV shows rely on tragedy to help us connect or sympathize with characters. Grief of some form, or a tragic past leads a character on a path. E...

Alcohol Use and Coping with Grief

While in grief, many people turn to things that can comfort or distract them. It is not uncommon for some people to reach for alcohol in this way. For many people, alcohol can serve as a way to avo...

Apathy and Grief

On this blog, we often talk about how grief is a complicated emotion, and how everyone experiences it differently. However, we don’t often talk about grief and apathy. Apathy is a state of numbness...