10 Benefits of Daily Meditation for Mental and Physical Health

Ten benefits of daily meditation for mind and body — what research has found for each, how strong the evidence is, and how to begin with a few minutes a day.

Meditation has been practised for thousands of years in Indian and other contemplative traditions to calm the mind and cultivate awareness. In recent decades it has also been studied scientifically. The best-researched form is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an eight-week programme developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. A 2014 review in JAMA Internal Medicine (Goyal and colleagues) found moderate evidence that meditation programmes improve anxiety, depression and pain.

Below are ten benefits, with an honest note on what the evidence shows for each.

1. Does Meditation Reduce Stress and Anxiety?

Stress reduction is the best-supported benefit of meditation. By focusing attention on the present moment, mindfulness meditation helps interrupt cycles of worry, and many studies of MBSR report reduced stress and anxiety symptoms. The 2014 JAMA review found moderate-strength evidence for improvement in anxiety. Meditation can complement, but not replace, treatment for anxiety disorders.

2. Does Meditation Improve Focus and Concentration?

Meditation is a form of attention training: each time the mind wanders and is brought back, the skill of sustained focus is practised. Several studies have found improvements on attention tasks after meditation training. For practical techniques, see our 10 simple meditation techniques for busy professionals and the research on meditation and creativity.

“Discover how meditation physically reshapes key brain areas — watch this concise, science-backed explainer.”

3. Does Meditation Improve Emotional Wellbeing?

Mindfulness encourages self-awareness — noticing emotions as they arise rather than being swept along by them. The 2014 JAMA review found moderate evidence of improvement in depressive symptoms, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is recommended by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to help prevent relapse in people who have had recurrent depression. Loving-kindness meditation is also valued for building compassion. Read more on the power of meditation for inner peace.

4. Can Meditation Help You Sleep Better?

Meditation can quiet the mental chatter that keeps many people awake. A 2015 trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine (Black and colleagues) found that a mindfulness programme improved sleep quality in older adults with sleep problems. Techniques such as the body scan are especially useful at bedtime; see our guide to yoga and sleep. Persistent insomnia should be discussed with a doctor.

5. Does Meditation Support Heart Health?

In 2017 the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement concluding that meditation “may be considered” as an addition to — not a replacement for — standard approaches to reducing cardiovascular risk, noting modest evidence for effects on blood pressure and stress. Slow breathing during meditation also encourages the body’s relaxation response. Anyone with heart disease or high blood pressure should continue their prescribed treatment.

6. Does Meditation Affect the Immune System?

Research here is early. In one widely cited 2003 study, Richard Davidson and colleagues found that people who completed an eight-week mindfulness programme produced somewhat more antibodies after a flu vaccination than a comparison group. Because chronic stress can affect immune function, reducing stress may be one way meditation supports health, but it should not be relied on to prevent or treat illness.

7. Can Meditation Help With Pain?

Mindfulness does not remove pain, but it can change how people relate to it. A 2016 trial in JAMA (Cherkin and colleagues) found that MBSR and cognitive behavioural therapy both improved chronic low back pain more than usual care, with similar results to each other. The 2014 JAMA review also found moderate evidence for pain improvement. Meditation is best used alongside medical care for chronic pain.

8. Can Meditation Help Digestion?

Stress can worsen digestive symptoms, particularly in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where the gut–brain connection is well recognised. Some studies have found mindfulness-based programmes reduced IBS symptom severity. Mindful eating — eating slowly and without distraction — also makes it easier to notice hunger and fullness.

9. Does Meditation Increase Self-Awareness?

With regular practice, many people notice their thoughts, emotions and habits more clearly. This awareness creates a pause between impulse and action, making it easier to respond rather than react. This is the heart of the practice in both Indian contemplative traditions and modern mindfulness.

10. Does Meditation Help With Healthy Ageing?

Some brain-imaging studies have found less age-related grey-matter loss in long-term meditators than in non-meditators, though such studies show association rather than cause. More broadly, the stress reduction, better sleep and emotional steadiness that meditation can support all contribute to wellbeing in later life.

Is Meditation Safe for Everyone?

For most people, meditation is safe. However, some people — particularly those with a history of trauma, psychosis or severe depression — can find that intensive meditation brings up distressing thoughts or feelings. If you have a mental health condition, start with short, guided sessions, stop if you feel worse, and consider practising with a qualified teacher or with your clinician’s advice.

For most people, a few minutes of meditation each day is a simple, low-cost way to support mental and physical wellbeing. Start with five or ten minutes and build from there.

Frequently Asked Questions