Unit 10: Lifestyle Factors

Meditation is a form of stress management that will allow our mind to experience an oasis of peace and love within our

For this research we will explore the power of meditation relaxation and the effects it has on treating college students suffering from depression. Two groups will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: meditation-relaxation technique training or pseudo-relaxation training. Our independent variable is one of the two conditions and our dependent variable will be scores received from the Beck Depression Inventory. Based on past research with similar studies, it is hypothesized that the group receiving meditation-relaxation technique training will report lower rates of depression than the group receiving

A practice of mindfulness meditation focuses deliberate attention to breathe, feeling or experiencing the body without judgment, and removes the idea of attempting to change any of the thoughts or feelings (Atkinson, 2013). This type of focus allows for more openness, acceptance, compassion and empathy of the self and others (Siegel, 2007).

In order to become stress free, millions of people choose meditation and mindfulness as a source of relief. Choosing the two can help a person, not only get stress relief, but also achieve a much better physical body and response. Being mindful of one’s health by meditating can help a person achieve a better mental health.

Mindfulness meditation focuses on physical sensations of the body. It brings attention to the present moment, clearing the mind of other thoughts (Hanh, 1999; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1992). Mindfulness meditation reduces negative affect and to leads to greater subjective well-being (Brown & Ryan, 2003). As such, mindfulness meditation is used for reducing stress (Kabat-Zinn 1982), treating borderline personality disorder (Teasdale, Segal, Williams, 1995) and treating relapses of major depressive disorder (Linehan 1993).

Meditation is a simple practice of relaxation that increases mindfulness (being in the moment), decreases stress, and helps the body heal itself (http://itoldyouiwassick.info/2015/02/13/how-meditation-eases-chronic-pain/).

Meditation therapy places one's mind into an Alpha (resting) or theta (relaxing) brainwave state and causes the brain's rhythm to slow and antibodies and endorphins (natural pain killers) to be released into the patient's system. The body's metabolism, breathing and heart rate will slow and blood pressure will decrease. Simply put, at its core, meditation therapy will help patients clear their minds of all toxic thoughts, concentrate and focus on themselves, help them practice patience and prepare them for recovery.

Many people believe that medication is an ancient Eastern art that is 'not for them.' However, more and more people are discovering that meditation can be a great way to reduce the stresses of modern life. Scientific evidence indicates that meditation can improve health by curtailing anxiety, bolstering the immune system, improving circulation, and even ease physical symptoms like high cholesterol, pain, and insomnia. The article by Frances Lefkowitz entitled "Meditation made easy" from Natural Health suggests that people who may have struggled with meditating in the past because of distractions or intimidation may simply have not tried the right type of meditation. Some people prefer walking while others prefer sitting in a comfortable position. Some prefer silence while others prefer focusing on a mantra, repeating the same words over and over again. Starting slowly beginning with a few minutes and gradually working up to longer periods of time reduces the intimidation factor.

All throughout history Buddhist monks and the eastern religion have been performing meditation, but recently others have been trying it. Meditation is a practice in which someone may train their mind to be in a state of consciousness that benefits their mind and body. Meditation is about paying attention, focusing and being very calm. It sharpens creativity and performance while enhancing relationships. Meditators find when they stop taking things in life so seriously, the self-drops away. They are more direct and absorb life easier.(Ellison 3&6). Meditation has been around for thousands of years. In every religion, the instructions for meditating are the same, only the words differ. There are two major types of meditation that may benefit

Mindfulness Meditation is paying attention to where we are in any given moment; regardless if that moment is joyful, painful or anywhere in between. It is a practice and skill that can be developed over time. The results range from improved physical and emotional well being to a deeper connection to self and others.

The fact still remains that meditation has many benefits, for both physical and mental health, with no real negative side-effects and with little cost to the practitioner. Whatever your reason for meditating the results seem to be the same and the benefits can be even greater for those coming into meditation to relieve deep stress or health issues. “Everyone Benefits from meditation…everyone needs to look inside for reflection in order to work outside. Operating from a calm space has gotten to the be the greatest gift that anyone can be given…all happiness comes from inside” (Qtd. in

I found this article very interesting as it talks about the benefits of meditation and how great it affects our brain as well as how much it required to gain its maximum benefit. It also discusses how mindfulness-based medications could aid in treating various conditions such as depression, stress, anxiety and chronic pain.

Meditation is a mind-body process that uses concentration or reflection to relax the body and calm the mind. It has been defined as the intentional self-regulation of attention, a mental focus on a particular aspect of one's inner or outer experience.

Argumentative thesis: Although many people assume medications such as antidepressants are the only way to treat patients with depression, meditation is a better choice of treatment as it prevents relapse in patients that are recurringly depressed, is accepted by a large portion of patients that are typically unwilling to take medication to treat their depression, and rebuilds brain structures affected by the mental illness,

A summary on “What is Meditation and How It Affects Our Brains by Belle Beth Cooper”