Meditation and Immunity

Nowadays most of us are combating stress and finding balance in our daily life. In Indian tradition meditation used to be the essential part of our life and now new research suggests that mindfulness meditation can have benefits for health, including improved immune function, reduced blood pressure and enhanced cognitive function.

Our immune system is not just a physical mechanism used to fight disease. It actually transmits your thoughts and moods to your cells. Make sure you send the right messages.

In the early 80’s it was discovered that our immune system is very intelligent and it is also known as  “a floating brain”. Your thoughts, moods, sensations, and expectations are transmitted to your immune cells. When you meditate, these messages change in important ways.

Since we are continuously surrounded by positive and negative thoughts which keep changing the mode of our nervous system, from sympathetic to parasympathetic and vice-versa. Meditation creates a positive mental environment for the immune system to flourish. Meditation stimulates immune system brain-function regions. Mindfulness meditation has shown increases in electrical activity in the prefrontal cortex, the right anterior insula, and right hippocampus, all parts that control positive emotions, awareness, and anxiety. These are also the areas of the brain that act as a command centre for your immune system.

Some points to be remembered:

1. Get proper sleep every day.
2. Incorporate meditation morning and evening in your daily life.
3. Reduce and avoid stress, which results in immune system weakness.
4. Wash your hands properly several times a day, and always after direct contact with someone else’s skin.