Meditation Helps Relieve Stress And Helps With Overcoming Panic Disorder

Researchers have discovered that meditating 10-20 minutes a day can reverse the ill effects of stress. It has also been found to help with overcoming panic disorder and overcoming panic attacks, alleviate insomnia, depression, anxiety, anger, headaches, hot flashes and physical pain. Large corporations such as Google, Hughes Aircraft and Deutsch Bank are now routinely providing meditation instruction to their employees. Employers note that it not only increases employee productivity but also significantly decreases absenteeism, workers compensation and disability claims from stress related illnesses (Meritian Health and the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health article: Dateline UC Davis, December 14, 2007)

Meditation promotes a neurochemical shifting. The stress hormones are acutely lowered, says Dr. Robert Bonakdar, director of pain management at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. When we feel more relaxed, the brain generates natural anti-anxiety and happiness-enhancing chemicals like endorphins and high levels of serotonin. (Article: Meditation fools the brain in a threatening world, by R.J. Ignelzi, San Diego Union Tribune March 6, 2007)

Not only do studies show that meditation is boosting their immune system, but brain scans suggest that it may be rewiring their brains to reduce stress Ten million American adults now say they practice some form of meditation regularly. (Stein, J. (2003) The Science of Meditation, TIME magazine (cover story), August 4: 48-56.)

Any condition thats caused or worsened by stress can be alleviated through meditation says, cardiologist Herbert Benson, MD. He is well known for three decades of research into the health effects of meditation. He is the founder of the Mind/Body Institute at Harvard Medical Schools Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. (Meditation Balances the Bodys Systems, WEB MD, January 2008)

After a six month study by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, meditation helped to relieve stress levels by 35 and 23% more DHEA (the youth related hormone) than non-meditators this helps relieve stress, heighten memory, preserve sexual function and control weight. (Meditation as Medicine D.S. Khalsa, MD and C. Stauth Pocket Books, 2001)

Research suggests that by meditating regularly, the brain is reoriented from a stressful fight-or-flight mode to one of acceptance, a shift that increases contentment that helps relieve stress. (Lutz, A., Greischar, L., Rawlings, N.B., Ricard, M., Davidson, R.J. (2004) Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitute synchrony during mental practice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101, 16369-16373)