How Meditation Helps Men Specifically
For the men that are in your life, give him/them a gift that truly keeps on giving – give them meditation. Whether it’s your husband, your brother, your father, a male co-worker, or it’s you, the facts are this: meditation for men benefits him exponentially. Why? Because like women, men experience a high amount of anxiety in their lives, and studies routinely prove the direct link between anxiety reduction and a regular meditation practice.
This isn’t to say that women have an easy, stress-free life. They don’t, by any means. On the same token that women experience anxiety stemming from relationship, cultural and societal pressures, so do men. Studies show that men also experience a high level of anxiety connected to job performance, and ‘bringing home the bacon’. And just like women, men feel the pressure to ‘do it all’ – to make their partner happy, their families happy, and most importantly, to make themselves happy. After all, how can a man make anyone else feel happy and fulfilled if he isn’t?
The Studies Show It, Time and Time Again
Meditation is the practice of a mindful state of consciousness. It’s not the destination; it’s the journey to a wakeful, alert state achieved by being quiet. It’s done by sitting in silence (for as long as you can manage) and shutting off your mind’s chatter. Whether consciously or unconsciously, your mind is always on. It could be that you constantly replay your stressful day at work in your head, or obsessively reminisce about last night’s date.
In other words, control your mind, and you can control everything else.
Meditation Helps Men Physically
When you have anxiety, your body actually changes. Is your blood circulation blocked? Do you have trouble sleeping? Are you unable to focus?
Countless studies have shown that through the act of meditation, men function better physically, emotionally and mentally. When you take time out of each day to consciously breathe deeply, your lungs expand and contract. When that happens, your breathing improves, and when your breathing improves, your blood circulation improves. Your clarity improves. And, your focus improves. You begin to perform at a higher level at work. And, as a result, you become more responsive to handling stress and anxiety with ease!
Hundreds of clinical studies have shown that stress can decrease the following: blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart palpitations, and lessen the risk of the onset of many diseases, including dementia.
Since most of us are on auto-pilot, and think, worry, stress, and obsess about the many ingredients in our life (relationships, work, dreams, goals, frustrations, failures, etc.) it’s almost impossible to have the opportunity to just stop and be present. That’s when meditation is so helpful, and for men especially. It allows them to connect with themselves, and reconnect to their inner knowing (which, coincidentally, is all they need to make the right decisions in their life!) while improving their immune and respiratory system.
Meditation Helps Men Emotionally and Mentally
During a study at the University of Massachusetts Stress Reduction Clinic, it’s associate professor, John Kabat-Zinn, PhD, made meditation the heart and soul of it's eight week program. As a result of daily meditation, each participant noticed a change in their stress levels. From a decrease in neurotic thought patterns, to increased self-confidence, the meditation was a crucial ingredient in each person’s well being and increased awareness and self-perception to health and wellness. Additionally, 60 percent of men who meditated experienced a dramatic decrease in their anxiety, allowing them to cope better and more productively with the stress in their lives.
Cope better, perceive stress in a new (and improved!) way, and manage your work life in a anxiety-free way. Meditation for men – for many men – searching for a missing ingredient in their busy lives – may prove to be just the thing they need to improve their overall happiness, physical health and emotional well being.
Discover EquiSync®
