What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice that helps you to calm your mind and body whilst also helping to increase your well-being physically, mentally, and emotionally. While in meditation, you will focus on your breath, a calming sound, a visual image or silently repeat a certain word or phrase. Others include mindfulness techniques, which direct consciousness to the present moment without passing judgment. Meditation need not be linked to religious practices. Meditation when used as part of cancer treatment is also referred to as mindfulness-based therapy. In this article, we explore how patients can use mediation to support cancer treatment in Singapore.
How Meditation Helps Cancer Patients
Meditation as one of the supporting therapies may help to lower a patient’s level of anxiety, sense of depression, stress, and feeling of pain. It may also enhance the patient’s level of energy – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
- Studies have shown that meditation helps decrease of anxiety and depression in cancer patients. This results in improved quality of life for cancer patients. A more positive mindset may also lead to better outcomes in their cancer treatment.
- Meditation is also known to help lessen the stress level in cancer patients. Besides also improving quality of life for patients, lower stress levels support stronger immune systems. This thus also helps improve patients’ chances of survival.
- A typical problem faced by cancer patients is chronic pain. This may be caused by the cancer, its treatments, or secondary factors. Some studies also show that meditation may help to alleviate some of this pain, thereby potentially reducing the amount of the painkillers required.
How To Start Meditating For Beginners?
- Make yourself comfortable
- Set a time limit
- Take a deep breath
- Count your breath
- Clear your mind
- Come back when you wander
- Listen to a soothing and calming noise
- Try not to fidget or move too much
Meditation To Support Cancer Treatment – Programmes By Cancer Clinics And Hospitals
Hospitals and clinics may offer meditation to support cancer treatment under their support programmes for cancer patients. If you are a cancer fighter, you can ask your medical team if the clinic has such therapy available.
Further Reading On Wellness For Cancer Patients
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This article is informative only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
