The Impact of Meditation on Health and Longevity: Scientific Facts and Research

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Meditation is the practice of calming the mind and focusing for a set period of time, which, according to research, can positively influence human health and longevity.

Modern science considers meditation as a way to relax and reduce stress, allowing to improve memory, concentration, and mood, as well as a real way to increase life expectancy.

Comparatively short telomere length (the ends of chromosomes) is a marker of accelerated aging. Shorter telomeres are associated with chronic stress. This is confirmed by a study titled “Accelerated telomere shortening in response to stress”.

Experimental results show the possibility of altering this biomarker associated with health and longevity through meditation, especially in women.

Chronic psychological stress negatively impacts the activity of telomerase (an enzyme that adds special repetitive DNA sequences to telomeres), which is a predictor of long-term cell viability.

The study examined the effect of meditation on telomerase activity (research link). It is the first to link meditation with positive psychological changes and telomerase activity. The study concludes that meditative practices reduce negative emotionality, which promotes increased telomerase activity, which in turn reflects on the length of telomeres in immune cells and longevity.

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Meditative practices have various health benefits, including the ability to maintain cognitive functions as age increases and prevent dementia.

Studies show that meditation can affect multiple pathways that play a role in brain aging and mental performance.

For example, meditation can reduce stress-induced cortisol secretion, thereby having a neuroprotective effect.

Meditation can also positively influence the blood lipid profile and reduce oxidative stress, which in turn may reduce the risk of cerebrovascular diseases and age-related neurodegeneration.

Additionally, a scientific study provided theoretical justifications for how meditation can increase life expectancy and maintain optimal health (research link).

Many diseases are caused by our mind: neuroses, depression, insomnia, etc. The mind requires the same hygiene as the body. Mood is not something that happens to us or something we cannot influence. Meditation is one way to cleanse the mind.

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Many people associate meditation with Buddhist monks sitting somewhere in the mountains with crossed legs. In fact, you don’t need to become a monk, quit your job, or go to the Himalayas to practice meditation. You can meditate at home, devoting 10-20 minutes a day to this activity.

Sessions should be regular. Meditating occasionally will not bring the desired effect.

The main condition for meditation is maximum body relaxation. Meditate while sitting in a comfortable position. The lotus position is not necessary; you can do it simply while sitting on a chair. Lying down is not recommended as there is a risk of falling asleep.

There are many different meditation techniques, both complex and simple. But the number of techniques itself is not important. One is quite enough. What matters is the quality of execution. All the variety of meditative techniques is widely represented on the internet; here we will present the simplest ones.

Breathing and Visualization Techniques

Starting position — sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your back straight. Close your eyes and place your hands on your knees, palms facing up.

Breathing

Fully concentrate on your own breathing. Observe how the air fills the lungs and exhales back. Do not make any effort, do not try to change the breathing rhythm. Breathe as usual.

If extraneous thoughts appear, switch your thoughts to breathing and observe it calmly for 10-15 minutes.

Deep Breathing

Observe your breathing for a few minutes, relax.

Then change the breathing rhythm — slowly take a deep breath, hold your breath for four seconds, then exhale just as slowly.

Continue, focusing on breathing for 10-15 minutes.

The basis of any meditation is the ability to concentrate your attention, without being distracted or switching to solving other tasks.

Visualization

This technique can be performed lying down. Close your eyes and imagine a beautiful and cozy corner of nature where peace and quiet reign. Imagine in detail everything you want to see and what your imagination can handle: the warmth of the sun's rays, the murmur of water, the singing of birds, the fluttering of butterflies, the chirping of grasshoppers, etc. In short, create a complete illusion of a paradise. Do this sincerely and with joy. Try to imagine everything vividly and as realistically as possible, as if it is happening in reality. You can include quiet background music.

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Some Tips for Meditation

• Do not force yourself to meditate when you don't feel like it. Meditate only when you feel the need for it.
• Exit meditation when you feel you’ve had enough for today or when you no longer want to. Do not time it. Do not use an alarm for this. Exit slowly.
• If extraneous thoughts constantly enter your mind and bring you back to problems — this is normal. You can't get rid of it right away. You need to practice, and everything will work out. The very fact that you are trying to regulate your mind is already commendable.
• Do not expect quick results. Nothing will change in one or two days. Practice not for the sake of results, and the results will come by themselves.