Can Meditation Change the Rate of Cellular Aging?
Can meditation make you age more slowly? Today, new research is showing that meditation can indeed slow aging when it comes to the cellular level. If it seems improbable that sitting still with your eyes closed, and staying mindful of your breath can slow aging – think again – it looks like it may do just that.
What Are Telomeres?
Research uses the length of telomeres as a measure of cellular aging. Telomeres are the protein caps and DNA that provide protective coverage at the end of chromosomes during cellular division. They become shorter every time that chromosome replicates. Finally, they are so short that the cell can’t divide any longer.
Shorter telomeres in cells are related to the start of many different age-related illnesses. These include dementia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
The shortening of telomeres can be attributed to things like lack of sleep, smoking, diet, drinking, and a lifestyle in which you are sedentary for long periods of time. Stress can calso shorten them. And that’s where meditation comes in.
How Can Meditation Prevent or Slow Telomere Shortening?
Those who meditate for a long term period are shown in recent studies to have reduced inflammation and stress responses to chemical and psychological stress in the lab.
When the effects of stress are countered, meditation can also indirectly cause cellular aging – and telomere shortening – to be reduced. In fact, one study revealed that telomere length increased in the immune cells of individuals who participated in a meditation retreat. A different study showed that increased telomerase, which is used in the rebuilding of telomeres by the body, appeared after people participated in such a retreat.
Just How Much Longer Can Telomeres Get from Meditation?
In a comparison study between practitioners of Zen meditation for an hour plus daily for a minimum of 10 years with people who never meditated, those of similar age and lifestyle who meditated had telomeres about 10% longer on average than those of participants who were not meditation practitioners.
Is Meditation the Only Thing that Can Change Cellular Aging?
While meditation is a key to extending telomere length and enhancing cellular life, there are other lifestyle changes that can also help with cellular aging and a longer and more healthy life overall. These include:
More exercise
Less alcohol consumption
Eliminating smoking
Relaxation training – whether meditation or an equivalent
Can Meditation Help Cellular Aging No Matter When You Start?
Optimistically, meditation can help with telomere length and healthier cells no matter when you start meditating. Meditating for only 15 minutes each day even when just starting out caused immediately positive effects such as reducing inflammatory responses and responses to stress, and increasing the healthy activity of a gene that creates telomerase.
So just because you haven’t started yet, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start now – sit still, close your eyes, focus on your breath for 15 minutes a day and create the potential for younger cells and a longer, healthier life.
Learn More About Longevity Herbs
Along with meditation as a health tool, if you want to keep all your health needs covered, consider adding a healthy vitamin or supplement to your diet. At Longevity Herbs, we are happy to help!
If you’d like to learn more about Longevity Herbs, browse our product selection online, or contact us today.
