“If you have time to breathe you have time to meditate. You breathe when you walk. You breathe when you stand. You breathe when you lie down. “ – Ajahn Amaro

In a world where almost everyone is busy pursuing their goals, it’s always important to take a pause once in a while, take a deep breath, relax and meditate.

You might haven’t heard of it but meditation has been continually gaining popularity across the globe especially after celebrities such as Kristen Bell, Madonna, Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Nicole Kidman swore by it.

It isn’t just a fad – meditation has a list of science-backed benefits and we’ll be sharing two of them today:

It Reduces Stress
One of the most common reasons why people meditate is to reduce stress. Both mental and physical stress have long been proven to disrupt one’s body – making it harder to sleep, promoting depression, contributing to fatigue, and even increasing blood pressure. Studies have revealed that meditation can actually help combat stress and improve symptoms caused by stress such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and insomnia.

It Helps Improve Emotional Health
Meditation does not just combat stress, it also helps improve your self-image and makes you live life with a positive outlook. Mindfulness meditation can decrease depression and anxiety. It can help you be more aware and appreciative of your surroundings.

Meditation changes your perception and makes you more optimistic – and that’s something that studies have concluded.