Meditation can be good for your mental health. A research report from August 2013 shows that mindfulness meditation can reduce symptoms in those with anxiety disorders. Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital studied people who were suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a emotional problem marked by poor sleep, irritability, and muscle tension. They trained subjects to slow down and clear worries from their minds, and looked for changes in anxiety symptoms. It worked – significant relief was found through meditation.

Mindfulness is only one technique likely to lower stress. Many other secular and spiritual meditative practices are likely to prove helpful, if investigators decide to study them. The benefits of scheduling some time in your day to sit quietly and relax, and refocus your mental energies makes sense.

Mindfulness training is available at Riverside Counseling Center. Dan Towery, LPC offers evening seminars on mindfulness training and incorporates this training into individual counseling for those with this interest.

Hoge, E and others. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, August 2013