Can Meditation Increase Your Pain Tolerance?

One scientist from the University of Montreal seems to think so. When performing a study on long-time Zen meditators, Joshua Grant and his colleagues discovered that their tolerance for pain far outweighed the tolerance of the subjects in the control group. This was a result of the thicker layer of gray matter in the area of the brain that processes pain sensory, most likely the result of sustained activity of the brain – much like working out a muscle. Not only does old age work against the thickness of gray matter, but also the lack of mental activity for those in their middle ages. Therefore, seniors who are consistently doing things like meditation, crossword puzzles and other “thinking games,” have improved memory and mental capacities.

According to a study conducted in 2008 by a team from Harvard Medical School, additional benefits of daily meditation include lower stress levels, eased blood pressure and added cell protection from aging.

Therefore, try adding meditation to your daily to do list. Whether it’s an exhilarating AM wake-up call or much needed time to unwind, meditation offers irreplaceable health advantages. Not to mention, it is also a nice bonding experience for you and an elderly loved one.