Mmm….for some reason this is not the feeling I’m getting as my back muscles go into cramp, my left foot goes dead and I fight the irresistible urge to scratch my ear which has been itching inexplicably for the past seven minutes. And that’s just on the physical level. I won’t even begin to tell you about the aimless meanderings of my mind.

So, what’s the point? Well, studies have demonstrated there are numerous health benefits to meditation, ranging from a general sense of well-being to the reatment of hypertension (high blood pressure) and coronary artery disease (heart problems). The bad news is that this is only the case if you meditate on a daily basis over an extended period of time.

From the mundane...

Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep patterns, alleviate anxiety and enhance the body’s immune system, all of which contribute to your general sense of well-being and effectiveness.

Dr Rosamund Carey explains the scientific basis of these rather vague claims. It is possible to measure plasma melatonin levels and brain waves. Melatonin is a chemical released by the body that has been "positively correlated with a feeling of well-being". Plasma melatonin levels have been shown to be higher in advanced meditators than in non-meditators.

Using an EEG (the machine that measures brain waves), doctors have demonstrated that certain areas of the brain become more active during deep meditation while others become more restful.

"The areas which showed increased activity during meditation were those associated with internalised attention, mindfulness and harm avoidance," says Dr Carey.

Interestingly, these areas showed increased activity even after the meditation was finished.

...to the miraculous

While the everyday perks of meditation are nice, it has also been proven to have more profound effects on people’s health. It has been shown to reduce hypertension, heart problems, the side effects of cancer treatment (it is effective in pain management) and the incidence of attacks in asthma patients.

And on the slightly more bizarre side, meditation has proven effective in the treatment of smoking, alcohol and drug addictions. More so, in fact, than conventional programmes.

Dr Carey cautions that while the findings from certain studies are very promising, it is also important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes "adopting a nutritious and healthy diet, stopping smoking, initiating an exercise programme and having regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks". She also advises that meditation cannot cure everything, so if you get sick, go and see a doctor.

Read about different meditation techniques on the next page...