Today, approximately 850,000 people suffer from Alzheimer’s in the UK. And that number is set to rise, with an estimated number of over one million by 2025. Yet, there’s a new theory to slow down the risk. We uncover the benefits meditation can have and how it could help reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s now.
Alzheimer’s is an illness associated with degenerating functioning of the brain. It’s most commonly linked to old age, with the most amount of sufferers being over the age of 65. The disease can have profound impacts on your mind, making it harder for an individual to remember and even think for themselves.
What is meditation?
It’s an ancient practice whereby you train the mind to be at peace with your thoughts. The aim is to have a greater awareness of your mind, concentrating on creating the perfect level of calmness.
How to start meditating as a beginner?
There are many different forms of meditating, so it’s easy to find the right method to suit you. If you’re new to this activity, then we have some simple suggestions to help you get started.
First, you should focus on your breathing. Try taking ten to fifteen minutes every day to clear your mind. Choose your quiet place, whether it’s your bedroom or the local park, and find a comfortable position. Then, close your eyes and turn your attention to the rhythm of your breathing. Focusing on every intricate breath becomes the object focus of meditation, and you should try to keep your mind on this sensation and block everything else out.
Meditation can be done alone, in the comfort of your own home, or you can invite your family and friends and do it together.
What are the benefits?
By relaxing your breathing and your body through meditation on a regular basis, it can have profound impacts on your wellbeing. Research has found that meditating can change the way you control your emotions, improve your concentration, and boost your happiness levels.
How can this relate to Alzheimer’s?
Studies have found that consistent meditating could lead to a growth of brain cells. As Alzheimer’s impacts the mind repeated forms of mediation could help to slow the onset of the disease and protect an individual’s brain from deteriorating.
What’s more, other research has found that through performing mediation (this study looked at a specific form of meditation called Kirtan Kriya) over 3 months had significant benefits to memory and cognitive functioning, and results would only seek to improve as time goes on.
It’s important to take time to yourself and creating a calmer mind. The benefits of meditation are so great, but it’s the getting started that’s always the hardest. Begin with our suggestions and look to your local community to see what’s available.
Find out more about how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed in our latest blog post.