Meditation for Stress Regulation
Written by Carlos Rendon
Edited by Vicky Diep
February 9th, 2023
Edited by Vicky Diep
February 9th, 2023
Health & Wellness
Stress is a condition that is linked to a number of different physical and psychological disorders. Recent studies show that 33 percent of Americans reported feeling severely stressed and more than 70 percent of people reported that stress affects either their physical or mental health. Chronic stress is linked to health problems such as depression, anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
Cortisol is a hormone that is released during periods of stress, and the concentration of cortisol found in hair is a good way to estimate long-term stress on a person. In a study published by the American Psychosomatic Society, researchers measured the cortisol levels in the first 3 centimeters of hair from the scalp of participants every 3 months for a period of 9 months (Puhlmann et al., 2021). Participants were placed in a 9 month training program that focused separately on mindfulness, socio-affective skills, or socio-cognitive skills. Participants were divided into 3 training programs: presence, affect, and perspective. Presence-training involved breathing meditation and body scan, which are types of mindfulness exercises. Affect-training focused on regulating social emotions to improve social interactions, such as being accepting of one’s emotions along with being empathetic towards others. Participants in the perspective trial practiced observing-thoughts meditation and trained metacognition to build perspective taking .
On average, cortisol levels decreased by 25 percent after the first six months of training (Puhlmann et al., 2021). There were no significant differences observed between the different approaches studied. This indicates that daily meditation of any of the three types can help lower chronic stress levels .
In a time where we are surrounded by constant stimulation from our phones, televisions, and the internet, spending a small amount of time to sit and meditate for as little as ten minutes a day can help reduce one’s stress levels and lead to a greater quality of life, both physically and mentally.
Image Source: Charles Rondeau licensed under CC0 1.0