Why Meditate? The Science, Myths, and Health Benefits
Meditation is often seen as a relaxation technique or a spiritual practice, but relaxation is just one of its many benefits—and in my opinion, not the most important one. Today, we have thousands of scientific studies proving both the mental and physical benefits of meditation, including its ability to lower the risk of some of the world’s deadliest conditions. Why this isn’t taught in schools is beyond me.
I've been practicing meditation consitently for eight years as of writing this, Back then, I was very skeptical of anything related to alternative medicine, spirituality, or religious practices. I’m very grateful to all the thinkers, scientists and authors who bridged me to mindfulness and meditation from a rationalist standpoint. Meditation has opened up a new world for me, and also led me down a spiritual path. It might do the same for you. But it certainly doesn’t have to.
I’m writing this post as an invitation to anyone who, like me, dismissed meditation as some kind of woo-woo new-age practice—to open your mind to one of the most impactful, meaningful activities you can engage in: getting to know yourself and stepping out of autopilot, seeing your thoughts for what they are without identification and being present in this moment.
And beyond that, to get all the health benefits and improvements in quality of life that meditation provides.
What is meditation?
At its core, meditation is observing or getting familiar with the mind and internal processes—learning to focus, observe, accept and regulate thoughts and emotions. It does not require spiritual beliefs or hours of silence. Even a few minutes a day can create profound changes in the brain and body.
Before we get into the benefits, I want to emphasize that I am not a doctor, health expert, or medical practitioner. If you want to use meditation as a tool to improve your health, do your own research. Meditation is not a substitution for medical treatment. Instead, you can see it as you would physical exercise—a practice that can help prevent disease and improve well-being, but not a treatment for medical conditions.
Health Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is widely supported by research for its ability to:
Reduce stress and anxiety – Lowers cortisol levels, improves sleep, and helps regulate emotions.
Support heart health – Lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, and improves heart rate variability (HRV), all of which lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Slow cognitive decline – Increases gray matter density in brain regions like the hippocampus, which supports memory and learning.
Strengthen the immune system – Reduces inflammation through cytokine regulation and enhances immune function.
Reduce chronic pain – Meditation has been shown to help manage various types of pai
Types of Meditation
There are many ways to meditate. Some of the most common include:
Mindfulness Meditation – Observing thoughts without judgment.
Zen Meditation (Zazen) – Deep awareness through focused breathing, and often following a thought from a bystanders point of view.
Vipassana – Insight meditation, an ancient practice rooted in Buddhist tradition. Can give deep insights into the nature of reality, a profound understanding of impermanence, suffering, and the interconnectedness of all experience by anchoring oneself in the present moment.
Loving-Kindness (Metta) – Cultivating love and compassion for yourself and others.
Heart-Focused Meditation – Using breath and emotions to create heart-brain coherence.
Mantra Meditation – Repeating a word, phrase, or sound (silently or aloud) to focus the mind and reprogram thoughts. It can be used for both relaxation and mental conditioning, similar to affirmations
Through meditation, we shift from being lost in thought to seeing thoughts as passing events. This allows us to live with greater clarity, intention, and presence.
There are tons of both paid and free available resources to start meditation.
