Effects of Meditation

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Although meditation has existed for several thousands of years, it was only during the 1960s that it became popular in Western culture. Today many thousands of people benefit greatly from regularly sitting in a quiet place and focusing their attention on an object for a short period of time. Meditation has several effects on the body.

As well as slowing down the heart rate, it can significantly reduce the oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. Within a few minutes of starting to meditate these can fall up to 20 per cent below normal levels.

Meditation also raises levels of skin resistance to pain or an electrical current, which tends to fall when we are stressed and anxious. This indicates an increase of muscle relaxation and can account for phenomena such as walking through fire or lying on a bed of nails.

During meditation there is also a reduction of activity in the nervous system. The branch responsible for calming us down, the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, dominates. Lactate, manufactured by the metabolism of the skeletal muscles, is also significantly reduced.

While meditating, blood lactate levels decrease about four times faster than they do when the body is in a normal state of rest. The most likely reason for this decrease is that the blood circulation increases, thereby increasing the delivery of oxygen to the muscles and inhibiting the production of lactate. During meditation the body achieves what is called a hypometabolic state. This is a different state from that experienced during sleep or while under hypnosis and can best be described as deep and prolonged relaxation.

Meditation has also been shown to have a significant effect on the way the brain works. During meditation the brain manufactures a balanced pattern of alpha and theta brain-wave rhythms. Recent research suggests that this may indicate that while in a state of deep relaxation the brain is better able to find a balance between its logical and rational and its creative and imaginative sides.

The result of this improved functionality is healthier, more productive and fulfilled individuals. Practised regularly, therefore, meditation helps fight depression, reduce hypertension and relieve anxiety, migraine and psychosomatic illness. Research also shows that concentration, memory and creativity are improved through regular sessions of meditation.

Regular meditation is also of great benefit for those who suffer from low energy and who have difficulty sleeping. The quality of sleep improves when meditation is practised regularly, and most meditators testify to feeling less tired throughout the day, needing less sleep at night and waking up feeling more refreshed. Meditators in training centres in Burma and Thailand can reach the point where they need only four hours of sleep a night.

When starting to meditate it is important to find a quiet, peaceful area and to use the same place regularly. The familiarity of a sympathetic environment will help you to slide into meditation mode. Soft background music, incense or low lights are the tools some people use to create a conducive atmosphere.

Environmental music, featuring the sound of waterfalls, rain or birdsong is proving increasingly popular with meditators. Practised meditators, however, are eventually able to meditate in busy, crowded places such as bus stations and offices. Try to meditate for around 20 to 30 minutes each day.

There are two stages involved in the process of meditation. First comes physical relaxation, where the focus of attention is on the body and tension build-up is tackled. Once the body is relaxed, the clarifying and emptying of the mind can begin. Given practice, the first stage will become easier to complete and a greater proportion of the time used for meditation can be given to calming the mind.