Combining Meditation and Chiropractic. How daily mindfulness can improve your health.

When new members to our practice start their chiropractic care with us, we recommend a part of their initial phase is to start meditating and practising mindfulness daily.

But why do we as chiropractors require you start meditating?

It is because of the endless benefits, both physiologically and psychologically.


There is a growing body of evidence strengthening the relationship between meditation and neuroplasticity; the ability to influence and rewire neural function.

One study found that mindfulness and zen type meditations significantly reduce stress when practiced over a period of three months. (1)

Supporting this, is another study which revealed that meditation has an effect on the density of brain tissue associated with anxiety and worrying. (2)


In addition to helping ease anxiety and worry, mindfulness and meditation also has the ability to increase your psychological functioning and in the process improves your sense of well-being. (3)


As our practice members continue through their initial phase of chiropractic care, we often receive reports of increased clarity and focus. One recent study highlights how this common this benefit is, stating, “meditation improves cognition and increases your ability to perform tasks requiring focus” (4)


So what is the best way to start meditating?

Anyone who has tried meditating has experienced something called ‘monkey mind’.

The “monkey” refers to how our minds bounce from one idea to another; much like how a monkey bounces through the jungle.

To combat and overcome ‘monkey mind’, we recommend to our practice members that are new to mindfulness to use guided meditations.

This form of meditation helps guide you through the practice of mindfulness by gently focussing the mind on specific cues and subjects.


A great resource for guided mediation is the smartphone app: Headspace.

Headspace is a great app because it has:

  • Hundreds of themed sessions on everything from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety.
  • Short guided meditations for busy schedules.
  • SOS exercises in case of sudden meltdowns.

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944261/
  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.21964
  2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5946075_Relationships_between_mindfulness_practice_and_levels_of_mindfulness_medical_and_psychological_symptoms_and_well-being_in_a_mindfulness-based_stress_reduction_program
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/42975499_Mindfulness_meditation_improves_cognition_evidence_of_brief_mental_training_Consciousness_and_Cognition_An_International_Journal_19_597-605

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