By Megan Waterfield
You may be thinking — “meditation is boring”. “It doesnât work”. “Itâs a waste of time and all I can think about is everything I need to check off my to-do list”. “Only hippies do it and theyâre just trying to look trendy”.
What if we told you that meditation would *actually* change your life? That there are hundreds of studies proving the benefits of meditation? That people have been doing it for thousands of years? And that itâs as easy as sitting quietly by yourself for 5 minutes each day?
Meditation literally changes your brain. In different Harvard studies, researchers discovered several benefits of meditation:
- Participantsâ brains thickened after an 8-week meditation course
- Depression, chronic pain, and anxiety were reduced
- Meditators adopt a âRelaxation Responseâ as opposed to fight-or-flight
And this is just scratching the surface. Keep reading to discover 7 reasons you need to start meditating.

Reason #1: You’re Sleep-deprived
Meditation has been shown to increase sleep time and improve sleep quality, therefore reducing insomnia symptoms. When you meditate, youâre entering a deep relaxation stage which can reduce measures of arousal in the brain. Lower brain activity = no more late-night âmind racingâ = a darn good night of sleep.
Reason #2. You’re Stressed & Anxious
A 2013 study revealed that participants in meditation training decreased their anxiety levels by nearly 40%. The study found that when people meditate, there is more activity in the areas of the brain that control worrying and thinking/emotion, which in turn decreases anxiety. The brain is able to override the part thatâs responsible for your fear mechanism, allowing you to process situations and challenges with more ease and clarity.
Reason #3. You’re Forgetful
Weâve all experienced those âbrain fartâ moments and slightly panic that weâre losing our minds. Your solution: meditate! Studies have shown that meditation increases blood flow to the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain, which are involved in retrieving memories. Based on these results, the study concluded that meditating can help some peopleâs mild memory problems from progressing to more severe problems.
Reason #4: You’re Always sick
Wait, youâre telling me that if I meditate, I can avoid blowing my nose all winter? Itâs definitely possible! One study took blood samples of all participants to analyze which genes were expressed during meditation. All participants showed a shift in genes related to stress, inflammation, and wound healing, and the more experienced participants of meditation showed a shift in genes related to fighting viral infections. So, instead of spending your money on tissues and NyQuil this winter, try meditating and see how it impacts your health (and bank account).
Reason #5: You’re Lacking Creativity
When you meditate, youâre allowing your brain to welcome in new ideas and solutions that otherwise wouldnât be received because your brain by default has its âguardâ up. Similar to how we experience emotional release during hip and heart openers, when you allow your brain to open up, meditators receive those âahaâ moments, even if you havenât been meditating for very long.
Reason #6: You’re Burned out
Everyone experiences burnout at some point in their life, whether itâs from too much schooling or being overworked. Research has shown that taking time to quiet your mind can reduce work-related exhaustion, allowing professionals to take their minds off of their 9-5 and improve their on-the-job performance.
Reason #7: You’re Angry
Weâre convinced that the world would be a better place if people just took the time to meditate. Thereâs nothing good about feeling your blood boil when youâre angry — not only is it upsetting and uncomfortable, but itâs a threat to your health. Meditation forces you to become aware of your mind, body, and breath, allowing you to step back and consider your response before you react. Over time, you may find that things that used to trigger you donât bother you anymore. For instance, being cut off on the interstate no longer ends with you screaming at the top of your lungs inside your car. Who doesnât want that?!
Think itâs time to meditate?
Weâve got you. A great way to get started is by using guided meditations, which can be found on our on-demand yoga platform, EvolutionGO. Whether itâs 5 minutes or 20, our instructors lead you through several different types of meditation, including nidra, restorative, and breath-focused. Still skeptical? Read how meditation has impacted one of our own yogiâs lives!
We understand that it can feel awkward at first — after all, no one thinks that sitting in silence with their eyes closed for 10 minutes is exactly the most exciting use of their time. However, once these benefits start kicking in and transforming your life, meditating will become the highlight of your day. Get started today!
References:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment/meditation#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20meditation%20has%20even,used%20with%20other%20sleep%20techniques.
https://greatist.com/grow/science-backed-reasons-meditate#7
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130604114001.htm
https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20100303/can-meditation-reverse-memory-loss#2
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/09/06/new-clues-into-how-meditation-can-boost-the-immune-system/?sh=7c3960313698
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141028082355.htm
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-02/muom-tmr013014.php