Meditation and listening to music are relaxing activities that can improve health in many ways. Studies show that meditation has a protective effect on the heart, promotes sleep, strengthens the immune system, calms anxiety and reduces the risk of depression. Music helps relieve pain and anxiety after surgery, lifts the spirits and stimulates the mind and memory.
Meditation and listening to music are relaxing and fulfilling activities that can improve health in many ways. Studies show that both practices are beneficial physically, mentally and emotionally.
What are the restorative effects of Meditation and Music?
Heart protection
People who meditate reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke, and even death within five years. Meditation has a protective physiological effect against cardiovascular risk: it lowers heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline and cortisol (a stress hormone).
Improved sleep
Anyone who had trouble sleeping saw a reduction in fatigue and insomnia episodes after a few weeks of mindfulness meditation This type of meditation, which revolves around breathing and awareness of the present moment, helps its practitioners find sleep at night by facilitating the activation of the body’s relaxation mechanisms.
Pain relief
Patients who listened to music before, during and after their surgery had less anxiety and required less pain medication after surgery.
Immune enhancement
Music lovers have a higher number of natural killer cells – a type of immune cell that attacks bacteria as well as infectious or cancerous cells. They also have increased levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), a type of antibody found in the digestive tract and lungs to fight infection.
Stimulation of the mind and memory
People with early signs of cognitive decline showed significant improvements in memory and cognitive abilities after three months of engaging in simple meditation or listening to music.
Moral support
Listening to music improves mood by stimulating the release of dopamine (the feel-good chemical involved in experiencing pleasure and satisfaction). Mindfulness meditation may also be good for boosting mood and lowering the risk of major depression in people already experiencing minor depression, as well as reducing the symptoms of minor depression.
Reduced anxiety and stress
Mindfulness meditation works on anxiety and stress. Brain imaging shows that its calming effect is mediated by activation of brain areas associated with executive function and control of anxiety.