Meditation offers significant physical health benefits by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers stress hormones—cortisol and adrenaline. This physiological shift brings about lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and improved cardiovascular health, including decreased risks of stroke and coronary artery disease.
Neuroimaging studies reveal that meditation increases cortical thickness in brain regions linked to attention, memory, and emotional regulation. It also reduces activity in the brain’s default mode network, which is associated with mind-wandering and self-referential thoughts.
