Practicing meditation techniques not only relaxes the mind but also mitigates the physical impacts of stress on the body, such as heart disease and diabetes.
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Meditation benefits heart patients (Photo: tailormadejourneys) |
In a 16-week trial involving heart patients with an average age of 68, researchers found that those taught meditation techniques derived from Hinduism experienced health benefits.
Meditation has long been known to lower blood pressure, but researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles also discovered that meditation helps reduce heart rate variability and insulin sensitivity.
Heart rate is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which can be adversely affected by stress. Variability in heart rate can lead to cardiovascular damage. Meanwhile, insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, occurs when the body cannot effectively utilize insulin produced by the pancreas to convert sugar into blood glucose and generate energy.
Researchers concluded that chronic stress may be a common factor altering bodily functions. “Meditation helps regulate the body’s responses to stress, rather than directly altering stress, similar to the psychological effects of exercise,” said lead researcher Maura Paul-Labrador.
M.T
