Meditation was originally meant to help achieve higher consciousness and deepen understanding of the mystical forces of life in ancient times; however, the practice is now commonly used for stress reduction and relaxation. Medical meditation is a very effective technique for stress relief. Scientific evidence has shown that meditation can remove a day’s stress by bringing tranquility, inner peace, and harmony of the body, mind and spirit.
The meditative experience has a direct impact on physiological pathways that are involved in stress response. By inducing the “relaxation response” meditation reduces the stress level encountered by the body and decreases the levels of the major stress hormone called cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by two small glands located adjacent to the kidneys known as adrenal glands. This hormone is released by the body in response to stress during agitated, abnormal, and stressed states of the mind and body. In addition to being a biological marker of stress levels cortisol is very necessary for the metabolic functions of the body. The important functions of cortisol in the body include the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular functions, as well as the metabolic regulation of the body's use of nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) for energy. Secretion of cortisol into the blood increases in response to any stressful condition in the body such as temperature extremes, danger, sleeplessness, loss of love, death in the family, divorce, illness, trauma, surgery, and even successful events, results in the breakdown of muscle protein into smaller particles called amino acids, which are released into the bloodstream. The liver then converts amino acids into glucose for energy. This process raises the blood sugar level and provides more energy for the whole body; especially the brain. Cortisol also induces the release of fatty acids from fat cells which provides energy for the muscles. All together, energy provided and mobilized by the functions of cortisol enable the human body to deal with stressors and prevents total breakdown of the human system.
Meditation and the Hypothalami-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis
The HPA axis is the major physiological pathway for stress response. The body has a built-in mechanism for controlling and regulating the production and release of cortisol into the bloodstream during periods of stress. First, the hypothalamus of the brain produces and secretes corticotrophin releasing (CRH) which signals the pituitary gland, a small ductless gland at the base of the brain, to produce and release adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH), which consequently signals the adrenal glands to produce and release the stress hormone, cortisol. Immediately after a stressful event, the levels of CRH and ACTH increase, accompanied by an immediate rise in blood cortisol levels. When cortisol level in the blood is sufficient, a negative feedback mechanism alerts the hypothalamus and the pituitary to reduce the output of ACTH and CRH, respectively in order to reduce cortisol secretion. Abnormal blood levels of cortisol may lead to ill-health, various physical symptoms, and ailments. The good news from scientific research is that meditation decreases cortisol blood level.
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