Top Four Benefits of Focused Meditation

It is undeniable that the poker world is very hectic where it sometimes seems impossible to tackle all of the demands of our social and daily lives.

When work and family duties or social time becomes too pressing, something’s got to give.

Unfortunately, it’s usually self-care.

In an effort to repair the damage done by a stressful lifestyle and the neglect of personal wellbeing, modern humans keep coming up with new self-care trends and practices. However, few wellness methods have been able to stick around longer than meditation.

This centuries-old mindfulness practice originating in Asia has been a hot topic in health and wellbeing circles for many years. Today we’re going to talk about a specific kind of meditative activity called focused meditation and outline its most striking benefits.

What is Focused Meditation?

Focused meditation, also known as concentrative meditation, is a type of meditation during which your attention is focused on one object. The object of focus can, but it doesn’t have to, be material or external. You can choose to focus on things like a visualized picture, a sound, a body part, a mantra, or a candle flame for instance.

It differs from diffuse or open awareness meditation, for example, where the attention is dissipated instead of focused. In fact, the single goal of the focused meditation is to keep your attention concentrated on a chosen object, thus slowing down the inner dialogue.

What are the Benefits of Focused Meditation?

Although focused meditation uses a slightly different approach than some other types of meditation, it still brings much of the same fantastic benefits. Let’s take a look at the different ways focused meditation can help you bring that much-needed balance back into your life.

#1. Stress Reduction

One of the most common health problems of modern society in the US and around the world which has become the silent killer of the 21st century is definitely stress. Living in such a fast-paced world as we do, the hazard can sometimes feel impossible to avoid.

However, numerous research has shown that meditation can reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that causes the surge of inflammatory proteins called cytokines. Therefore, not only does meditation help reduce stress, but it can also lessen the inflammation in the body, thus preventing more serious health problems and helping to handle massive poker losses.

#2. Better Emotional Health

Emotional problems, particularly those pertaining to emotional regulation, can wreak havoc on our quality of life.

Focused meditation has been proven to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as improve self-confidence and reduce negative thoughts. These effects are achieved through deliberate practice of focus that draws one away from the incessant inner dialogue that keeps us in a swarm of negative thoughts and images.

As we shift our focus elsewhere, we begin to observe our thoughts and emotional experiences instead of getting lost in their confusing and chaotic rumble. This improves our sense of control and lets us gain a new perspective on how to approach the problems of losing money at poker which we once thought insurmountable.

#3. Better Attention Span

You’ve probably expected this benefit to come up. Indeed, it’s no wonder that a practice that uses focus as its main goal would prove to be effective in increasing the overall attention span.

After all, small daily practices of focus improve attention in the same way bicep curls improve your bicep strength over time.

What’s more, focused meditation also influences other problems related to a short attention span, such as excessive worrying, overthinking, restlessness, and greatly improves the quality of life in people with attention-deficit disorders.

#4. Possible Reduction of Memory Loss Due to Ageing

The reduction of stress, better emotional regulation, and improved attention span may also keep our brains young.

A number of recent studies have shown that older participants with age-related memory loss showed remarkable results in their neuropsychological tests after practicing focused meditation.

Since focused meditation helps with attention and mental clarity, it may prove to be an effective tool in keeping the brain smarter, more alert, flexible and , thus preventing dementia and general brain function deterioration over time.

Conclusion

Even though meditation can be somewhat elusive and hard to explain, it offers so many amazing benefits that can impact our quality of life immeasurably. After all, it can be done almost anywhere, and a single session doesn’t need to last longer than 10 minutes — a small price to pay for improved longevity and better quality of life.