World Heart Day 2022: Heart health with meditation: here's how to practice

The practice of meditation can do more than just relax the mind Recent studies have revealed that meditation can positively impact heart health by reducing stress and lowering blood pressure and heart rateMindfulness and meditation can benefit overall health including heart health The ageold practice uses quiet contemplation breathing and sustained focus to help let go of stress and feel more calm and peaceful It can be thought of as a minivacation from stress in lifePsychological stress increases the activation of the hypothalamicpituitaryadrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system This causes a release of harmful hormones cortisol adrenaline and noradrenaline These harmful hormones fasten the heart rate increase cardiac output and narrow the arteries As meditation induces deep relaxation in the mind and body the stress subsides and stability is restoredHow to Make Meditation a HabitOnce people understand the basics of the practice the next challenge is making it a habit Like every other lifestyle change it takes time to incorporate meditation into everyday life and build it into a routine Here are some tips Set a daily alarm on the phone or block out time on a digital calendar Try an app that reminds its time to meditate and then record the length of the session Start by practising a few minutes every day and increase the time in small amounts until the goal is reached Meditation to Connect with the Hearts EnergyHere are some simple steps to connect with the hearts Energy Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes Let go of any thoughts and the world outside Focus the attention on the spiritual heart centre the middle of the chest and be aware of the heart as a space Resting the attention on the heart centre breathe gently and sense the breath flowing into the heart One may also visualise a coolness permeating the chest Breathe normally and steadily For the next few minutes sit and listen to the heart The heart will gradually begin to release emotions wishes memories dreams and fears long stored inside If the mind wanders gently return to the focus on the heart Upon completing the meditation practice take a few moments to reflect on the practiceWhy Meditation can be Useful for Heart HealthSeveral studies have shown that meditation can lower stress levels reduce cortisol levels and improve heart health Meditation can activate the restanddigest functions of the body which counteracts the flightorfight responses With daily meditation practice people can lower their heart rate and blood pressure which may reduce the risk of heart diseasesHeres a look into what different studies have to say about meditation and heart healthResearchers in 2013 at the University of Sydney found that meditation can improve HRV It is a significant marker of mental and physical health After spending ten intensive days learning how to meditate meditation drastically improved the hearts responsivenessIn 2021 the American Journal of Biomedical Science and Research published a report on meditations effect on heart rate It revealed that with time meditation helps the heart to beat slower and become more consistent This indicates that meditation may be effective in preventing heart diseasesThe International Journal of Exercise Science published a study in 2017 on the effect of meditation on stressed college students Throughout the 6weekmeditation programme blood pressure and pulse decreased significantlyIt takes time to learn meditation and gain confidence as with any new endeavour The important thing is to practice every day even if only for a few minutes Meditation no matter how brief is always preferable to doing nothing A schedule can also be used to establish a routine In addition every day one should try to practice meditation Daily practice can have enormous benefits not only for the heart but also for the mind body and soulAlso read Young adults need to beware of heart attacks postCovid19 herersquos whyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever