Meditation

Meditation is a very old technique that is intended to relax the mind and body in combination with sharp concentration. Its purpose is to help sort out thoughts and feelings. Another aim it has is to get the body, soul, and mind to relax. Therefore, meditation can give the body and soul peace. The effect of meditation can last several hours after completing the exercises. The actual method used to perform meditation varies, but the most popular method is to focus on breathing. Regardless of the method used, the key thing is to learn to consciously relax.

Meditation and health

There are various types of meditation worth trying out, which can help with different conditions. Common conditions that are treated by this method are stress and concentration lapses. However, it can also be used in the case, for instance, of lack of self-esteem, sleeping problems, and even blood pressure problems. This makes it a form of treatment that can benefit both mental and physical health. By balancing negative and destructive thoughts and feelings, the person meditating can achieve a positive, peaceful state that affects the rest of their body.

When and how meditation can help

Anything from a stressful daily routine to more serious states of illness can cause pain in muscles and joints as a result of a tense body. In these cases, meditation can help reduce the pain as the stress diminishes.

Learning to meditate may be frustrating at the start and seem pointless, but when you have mastered the technique properly, you will notice a number of positive effects. Those who have learnt how meditation works will soon notice that they can be more actively involved in the daily routine and more aware of moods and needs. When combined, this can increase stress tolerance.

Meditation has also proved to be effective with anything from occupational burnout to depression and anxiety. By keeping your thoughts under control, you can also influence the rest of your body. This enables meditation to be used as a complementary treatment in the case of high blood pressure, relieving addiction and chronic pain, such as joint pain.

Meditation and yoga go hand in hand

Another way to find your internal balance while reducing tension in your body and become both stronger and more flexible is to practice yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise with strong links to both philosophy and religion. There are different movements and ways to do yoga. One example is medical yoga, which focuses on breathing and getting in touch with your body by strengthening presence and concentration.

Yoga involves those doing it combining breathing exercises, which also feature as part of meditation, with physical movements that stretch and strengthen the body. When combined, they help achieve both mental and physical wellbeing. Some of the benefits offered by yoga include better concentration and improved focus, sleeping better, a stronger body, better balance, and pain relief, in the case of joint pain for instance.

Meditation and yoga with osteoarthritis

Anyone affected by osteoarthritis often suffers from stiff, painful joints. Chronic pain and immobilization caused by tender joints uses up a great deal of energy and can cause abnormal fatigue and depression. There is no cure specifically for osteoarthritis. But, in many cases, meditation is mentioned as being able to help those affected by it to reduce their negative mental stresses. Clearing your thoughts can improve your mood and ease the pain. However, it is an extremely personal process and definite results are not guaranteed.

Many of the physical movements included in yoga strengthen the muscles and increase mobility in the joints. Therefore, it feels as if it can relieve aching joints. This means that if you suffer from osteoarthritis, it may be worthwhile trying out a yoga session. Since long-term exercise has been scientifically proven to be the key basic treatment for osteoarthritis, yoga may also have beneficial effects.

Read more about prolonged sick leave caused by osteoarthritis.