ACUPUNCTURE FOR SLEEP DISORDERS
January 11th, 2008
HEALTH AND FITNESS: MEDITATION
Meditation reduces risk factors in heart disease and other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, fibromyalgia and high levels of harmful cholesterol. Meditation, a non-drug stress reduction method, improves heart functioning by reducing the sympathetic nervous system activation that is associated with stress. Meditation can reduce the high levels of stress that may increase risk of cardiovascular heart disease.
By decreasing the stress response to acute and chronic pain conditions, meditation can reduce the negative stress effects on all body systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and immune system. Meditation works at least in part by lowering the body’s responsiveness to the stress hormone norepinephrine. Normally, stress triggers the release of this hormone, which in turn causes heart rate and blood pressure to rise.
Meditation reduces factors that contribute to the cause or progression of heart failure, such as metabolic syndrome, left ventricular hypertrophy (enlargement of the heart) and severity of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Hospital tests and treatments can be made easier for patients who practice meditation by decreasing the brain’s response to pain and may extend lifespan.
Meditation reduces the brain’s response to pain by producing a physiological state capable of modifying various kinds of pain. Meditation produces a fundamental change in how the brain functions rather than simply an attitudinal change. Biochemical compounds in the blood indicative of stress can be reduced with meditation. Meditation can stabilize these changes over time, so that an individual is actually less stressed biochemically during daily activity.
Meditation can decrease the breathing difficulties of respiratory conditions. Meditation can decrease the breathing restrictions individuals with asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience. Meditation can improve the fatigue and chronic pain symptoms of fibromyalgia. Meditation can also improve ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint conditions, headaches, and symptoms of many common ailments.
For information about meditation for health and fitness call (305) 595-9500 and ask for Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician and Homeopath.
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