Meditation and Aging: Could Meditation Be the Fountain of Youth?

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We can’t stop aging, but we may be able to maximize our youthfulness through meditation. There have been many articles written on the topic of meditation and its health benefits. Most of us have heard how a meditation practice can successfully combat stress. But is meditation the key to living a long, happy and fulfilled life?

Let’s look at the evidence:

Chronic Stress

In an article from the Huffington Post, Dr. Vivian Diller, PhD, explains how chronic stress is one of the main contributors to early aging. Constant stress can cause the body to slowly break down and can lead to cell damage, vision and hearing loss, digestive issues and more.

Meditation is a great tool to relieve stress. It slows down the aging process and gives us a longer, fuller, more productive and passionate life.

Brain Loss

The more we age, the more our brains begin to deteriorate. It is part of life and it happens to everyone. But according to a recent study from UCLA, we may be able to minimize the amount of brain loss through meditation. The study showed those with a long-term meditation practice had less brain loss or atrophy than those without a mediation practice. So the sooner we begin a consistent meditation practice, the better.

Anxiety

Anxiety can affect us all, some more than others. Many of us find it difficult to deal with anxiety and keep it from deeply affecting our lives. Lucky for us, we can find help through meditation. An article in Psychology Today explains how a meditation practice can break down the fear and worry connection in our brain. When this connection is broken, we no longer believe something is always wrong and we begin to see things more rationally.

Meditation allows our bodies to rest and our minds to be replenished. Meditation revives the happiness and well-being we lose throughout the day due to our own egos and the stresses that we face from family, work and even our commutes. Fortunately, a quick meditation break is easily accessible to everyone.

Here is a quick-and-easy 2-minute meditation practice you can do anytime, anywhere:

Set a timer for 2 minutes
Sit in a comfortable position
Begin to take deep and controlled breaths
Let thoughts and influences begin to leave your mind
Focus on your third eye (the space between your eyebrows) and picture something beautiful a sunflower
Remind yourself you are like this sunflower – standing tall and radiating beauty. Soak in all the love and nutrients the universe has to offer
Trust in your breath for 2 minutes. If your mind wanders, do not be discouraged. Just come back to your breath and smile to yourself
Once the 2 minutes are up, assess how you feel, and if you need more time, take it

Reducing your stress means reducing the way your body internally and externally ages.

If you enjoyed this quick meditation and opportunity to focus on your breath, then you may be interested in learning and practicing Pranayama – or conscious breathing techniques. Pranayama is a great practice to decrease the production of stress hormones within the body. Breathing is what the human body does everyday, but by practicing breathwork like Pranayama, you bring attention to that breath and make it more beneficial. Pranayama allows more oxygen into the cells of the body, making the body more relaxed and free from stress.

Meditation allows you to be present in the moment and closer to the true nature of who you are. It helps to strip away the stress and anxiety so we may live fuller, happier and longer lives. Be sure to take some time for yourself each day to relax with a quick and effective meditation. Reducing your stress means reducing the way your body internally and externally ages. The more you relax and focus within, the easier your stresses will slowly fade away.

Did you know of the many benefits of meditation? Do you feel these benefits help you live a longer, happier and fuller life? We would love to hear about your experiences as well as advice to new meditation practitioners.