Mindfulness And Cancer- Connect With Yourself

Mindfulness And Cancer- Connect With Yourself

The Benefits Of Meditation And Practicing Mindfulness For Cancer Patients

Mindfulness is being used more in various aspects of cancer control. The benefits of mindfulness practices are being adopted to manage the adverse effects of treatment, symptoms of cancer progression, and cost-effectiveness associated with conventional contemporary management methods. 

Do We Need A Reason To Meditate?

Life can be stressful, especially when coping with illness, grief, anxiety, or depression. One way to help calm your body and mind and achieve some quiet moments is through meditation. Studies show that following meditation can help a number of health conditions, as well as promote better sleep.

Meditation is held as a mind-body complementary therapy, and it may be used together with standard or conventional treatment for some health conditions.  Meditation is generally regarded as safe and uses concentration or reflection to relax the body and calm the mind.

There are many different types of meditation. Most include being still and quiet. Some involve movements, such as tai chi, chi gong, or walking meditation. 

 Benefits Of Regular Meditation Practices

Meditation is a way of connecting with a natural state of mind that is spacious and clear. It is not discharging thoughts but noticing when our mind is busy or racing. Meditation can help you unite with the breath and bring peace to the mind.

Meditation may have many benefits for people living with cancer, and many cancer centers are now suggesting this “alternative” treatment. Possible benefits include a reduction in anxiety and depression, reduced stress, greater energy, and a drop in chronic pain. At the same time, there are very few risks. And unlike numerous complementary methods used to control the symptoms of cancer, anyone can begin at any time.

 Meditation has many advantages for general health and well-being. It has been found to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, ease muscle tension, and improve mood. Emotionally, the practice of meditation has served many people to restore a feeling of calm by focusing their thoughts and closing their minds to fears and regrets. 

How Can Meditation Help Cancer Patients?

Meditation may have specific benefits for people who are living with cancer. Some of these include:

• Fighting depression and anxiety.
  One study found a decrease in symptoms of depression for people with cancer after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. And unlike some alternative treatments that only have short-term benefits for cancer patients, these effects were still present three months later.

• Relieving stress.
  Several studies have found meditation to significantly improve the perception of stress in people coping with cancer. This benefit may go beyond the subjective feeling of well-being when stress is reduced, and contribute to a healthier immune system as well. Stress hormones — chemicals that are released in our bodies when we encounter stress — may play a role in how well someone reacts to cancer treatment, and even affect survival.
  
  One study found that meditation diminished the levels of stress hormones in people with breast and prostate cancer and that the effects were still present a year later. Meditation may also lower the levels of Th1 cytokines, which are inflammatory agents created by the body that may affect how we react to cancer and our healing from cancer.

• Diminishing chronic pain.
  Chronic pain is a common and very frustrating symptom among people with cancer. The cause may be due to cancer itself, due to treatments for cancer, or secondary to other causes. Whatever the cause, it’s estimated that roughly 90% of people with lung cancer experience some degree of pain. Meditation appears to help with this pain and may lessen the number of pain medications needed to control pain.

• Solving sleep problems.
  Difficulty with sleep is a common problem for people living with cancer. In studies, meditation is associated with less insomnia and improved quality of sleep.

Balancing Emotions

People may use meditation to help balance their emotions, and just feel better overall. When used along with standard medical treatment, meditation may help lower blood pressure. Meditation-based programs may help reduce some menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep and mood disturbances, stress, and muscle and joint pain. Some evidence shows meditation can help lessen anxiety, depression, and pain.

For some cancer patients, meditation has been shown to help reduce anxiety, stress, tiredness, and improve sleep and mood, when used along with conventional medical treatment. There are many ways to meditate. Some meditation practitioners suggest repeating a word or phrase aloud, while some use physical movements, such as tai chi or qi gong. Many people meditate by simply finding a quiet place, closing their eyes, and concentrating on their breathing.

Anyone can call themselves a meditation instructor. But there are special courses to train people to become experts in guided meditation, visualization, and relaxation techniques. 

 It is important to make sure you use a qualified meditation teacher. Your doctor or nurse may be able to recommend a reputable one.