| Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are distressing | | | | sufferers, and meditation is free and doesn't |
| disorders, characterized by pain, fatigue, and a | | | | require leaving the house or depending on others |
| multitude of other possible symptoms including | | | | (unless you want to take a class, which is helpful, |
| depression and anxiety. Meditation has been | | | | especially in the beginning). It also doesn't require |
| shown to benefit people with Fibromyalgia (FM) | | | | special equipment or clothing, and there are no |
| and Chronic Fatigue syndrome (CFS) through | | | | side effects. |
| calming the mind and easing the body. | | | | Meditation has also been shown to improve sleep |
| What Is Meditation? | | | | patterns and increase energy. Furthermore, |
| Meditation is an ancient practice used by many | | | | research has continually shown that it reduces |
| cultures as a way of experiencing a deep spiritual | | | | pain levels. It can enhance the body's ability to |
| connection, such as a connection to God, inner | | | | heal itself, and improve overall quality of life. |
| peace, or a freeing from the struggles of the | | | | Physically, it can lower the level of cortisol in the |
| material world. Its roots have been in the East, | | | | body, which is a stress hormone. Mentally, it helps |
| but the West has also used meditation techniques | | | | you to get your mind off of worries, pain, stress, |
| like prayer and Celtic nature ceremonies. | | | | and illness. It allows you to cultivate a focus on |
| There are many different types of meditation, | | | | something completely unrelated to your life, your |
| such as following the breath, visualization, | | | | pain, or your illness. |
| repeating a mantra, sound meditation, and | | | | Meditation is not a cure for FM or CFS; it is an |
| mindfulness meditation. Meditation allows a person | | | | ancient tool for relieving symptoms as well as |
| to take a break from the endless chattering of | | | | taking control of your illness. |
| the mind and the worries and stress of everyday | | | | What Are The Downfalls of Meditation? |
| life. It engenders a feeling of relaxation and peace, | | | | - Meditation is a simple exercise that is incredibly |
| whilst producing mental clarity and alertness. | | | | difficult to actually put into practice. Even for the |
| Meditation helps you to let thoughts or feeling that | | | | healthiest people with few worries and anxieties, |
| arise to pass without reaction. The wandering | | | | the mind is constantly flitting from one thought to |
| attention is gently brought back to the meditation. | | | | the next. It takes discipline to remain still and not |
| Studies show that you don't need to believe in a | | | | react to the thoughts, feelings, and stimulants of |
| religion or even spirituality to benefit from | | | | the world. However, the benefits of taking this |
| meditation. Nor does it seem to matter what | | | | time to be disciplined are many. For people with |
| technique is used. The main criterion is to practice | | | | CFS and FM, taking a break from their mind and |
| it regularly. | | | | illness is incredibly powerful. The best thing to do |
| What Are The Benefits Of Meditation? | | | | is to just book the time in everyday and see |
| - Mental/Emotional Benefits: | | | | what happens without being desperate or |
| - More even moods, fewer mood swings. | | | | judgmental of the results. |
| - Releasing Depression | | | | - It takes 20 minutes of daily practice which can |
| - Less anxiety | | | | be difficult to squeeze in. However, if you see |
| - Increased energy and vitality | | | | that the long term benefits are going to give |
| - Improved memory and cognitive function | | | | improved sleep, more energy, and less pain, 20 |
| - A sense of peace and calm | | | | minutes is probably worth is. |
| - Less Stress | | | | - Some doctors are concerned that people will |
| Physical benefits of Meditation: | | | | think mediation is a cure for their illness and be |
| - Lowered blood pressure | | | | disappointed. Any good meditation teacher will tell |
| - Reduced heart rate | | | | you that meditation is not a cure for any illness or |
| - More balanced nervous system | | | | problem. It is a long term strategy that has |
| - Better Sleep | | | | proven useful to many people for centuries to |
| - May help balance the immune system to help | | | | improve their overall wellbeing. |
| the body resist disease and heal | | | | What Is The Research? |
| - Less physical stress and a more balanced the | | | | One study, conducted in 1993, tested the effects |
| autonomic nervous system (which is what | | | | of daily meditation on 77 Fibromyalgia patients. |
| governs the stress response in the body.) | | | | 51% of participants reported moderate to |
| How Does Meditation Help People With FM and | | | | significant improvement in their symptoms. |
| CFS? | | | | In 1998, researchers studied the effects of |
| Research has shown time and again that | | | | meditation on FM. They found that meditative |
| meditation can help people who suffer from | | | | practices lessened the aches, sleeplessness, |
| chronic pain. It is also one of the most ancient, | | | | muscle pain, and depression experienced by |
| proven methods relieving stress. | | | | people with this condition. |
| Recently, meditation has been shown to reduce | | | | Another 1998 study revealed that people with |
| symptoms of FM and CFS. It is one of the most | | | | CFS who used mind/body medicine practices such |
| ancient systems for reducing stress, which is a | | | | as meditation tripled their chances of |
| key feature of these conditions. Stress | | | | improvement over a one year period, compared |
| exacerbates CFS and FM, as well as causing more | | | | people with CFS who did not take engage in |
| of it, creating a vicious circle. | | | | these practices. |
| Lowering stress in some way is important for | | | | |