Meditation for a better health

Practicing mindfulness and meditation may help you manage stress, high blood pressure and diabetes, sleep better, feel more balanced and connected, and even lower your risk of heart disease.

Meditation and mindfulness are practices — often using breathing, quiet contemplation or sustained focus on something, such as an image, phrase or sound — that help you let go of stress and feel more calm and peaceful. It counteracts the effects of stress, which releases a hormone called adrenaline that makes your breathing speed up and your heart rate and blood pressure rise. It kicks us into action, which can be a good thing when we’re faced with a real danger or need to perform. But that “fight or flight” response can take a toll on your body when it goes on too long or is a regular occurrence. Mindfulness meditation provides a method for handling stress in a healthier way.

Useful tip

There are many different methods to practice meditation. Hear from Bob Roth, a top meditation teacher and therapist to the stars, how easy it can be to quiet your mind.

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Source: The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association

Nothing in this article should be considered medical advice. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. In a case of medical emergency call 911.

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