It offers many benefits, but does meditation improve skin? It might surprise you that the practice can heal your skin, improve your complexion and prevent irritation. Here’s what to know about meditation and why it is good for your skin.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that remains valuable for mental, spiritual and physical health. It uses breathing techniques to reduce stress, process thoughts and practice mindfulness.

A meditating person might look like they’re sleeping, stretching or talking. Others might not look like they’re meditating at all. However, it’s a powerful process allowing individuals to have happier, healthier and longer life.

How Meditation Works

Meditation began thousands of years ago and is one of the ancient medical and spiritual practices proven valuable in modern medicine.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) scans, doctors saw a difference in brain activity between those who meditated and people who didn’t.

Your brain has billions of neurons that form a neural network throughout your body. Each section has different duties. The scans show that meditation strengthens those networks, creating structural changes that can improve your health.

Areas of your brain that see the neural benefits of meditation include the section that controls your senses and the ability to regulate emotionally.

Why Meditation is Good for Your Skin

How do these brain changes impact the skin? There are many ways meditation can improve your skin.

Meditation can improve your telomeres–small caps at the end of your chromosomes. They work to protect your skin against aging. There is also some evidence that longer telomeres can help wounds heal more quickly, which could reduce scarring.

It reduces under-eye bags by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body. Meditation requires deep breathing, which helps you oxygenate your blood and can improve blood flow to the cells around your eyes. It’s a natural way to heal skin that can last longer than external products.

Hormones related to stress and anxiety can cause your skin to sweat excessively, which can clog your pores. Stress is also a significant contributor to breakouts.

Letting go of stress is a vital part of meditation. Stress can make you itch, causing your brain to shoot out those nerve signals. When we itch, we cause tears in the skin, which can lead to swelling and redness. Itching can also dry out the skin, contributing to conditions like acne, rosacea and eczema.

How to Start Meditating

Don’t worry if meditation doesn’t come naturally. It’s a learned skill. Thankfully, free resources can help you start, including articles and online video tutorials. There are several forms of the practice, and you can try multiple ones to determine what’s best.

Types of Meditation

Mantra

A mantra meditation involves repeating a word or phrase to center your attention. If your thoughts begin swirling, those words can override your mental speech and calm the nervous system.

There are several popular mantras you can try.

“I am OK.”
“I am safe.”
“The universe has me.”
“I can handle this.”
“I’m surrounded by loving energy.”
“Peace.”

Many forms of meditation come from Buddhism, and several popular mantras come from Sanskrit. Sometimes, saying something in a different language can help you focus more since you’re less likely to dwell on the meaning.

“So Hum or Soham” – “I am”
“Sat Nam” – “Truth is my identity”
“Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha” – “Salutations to the remover of obstacles”
“Om Mani Padme Hum” – “Praise to the jewel in the lotus.”
“Aham Prema” – “I am love.”

Go to a quiet place and breathe deeply, internally and externally repeating the mantra as you do.

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Mindfulness meditation is about being aware of what is happening in that moment. It’s common to stress about something that happened in the past, whether it was a traumatic event from childhood or an awkward conversation 10 minutes ago. You might also catastrophize about the future–expecting the worst before knowing the outcome.

As you take deep breaths, focus on your senses. What can you see, hear, smell, taste and touch? Sensual experiences have a significant impact on our brains. Sour candies or intense mint flavors can distract your brain and help you calm down. When you bring your mind to concentrate on what surrounds you at that time, it doesn’t have the time or space to focus on the source of your anxiety. If your mind does wander, take a deep breath and gently bring yourself back.

Body Scan

A body scan is similar to mindfulness meditation, but you concentrate on what’s happening inside you instead of external stimulation. Sometimes, we need assurance that as bad as things mentally feel, we are physically alright. Concentrating on your body can take your mind away from the source of your stress.

Lay or sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, filling your diaphragm with air. As you slowly release it, begin at your head or feet and slowly concentrate on each body part. How does it feel? Is there any pain or discomfort? Are you tense or loose? Make your way up or down until you scan your entire body. Do it as many times as needed until you feel calm and centered.

Box Breathing

You can do this meditation everywhere and it often doesn’t take long to release some stress and regulate your emotions.

Breathe in for four seconds, trying to take in a steady stream of air. Hold your breath for another four seconds. Doing so can focus your attention and begin calming a rapid heart rate. Then, slowly exhale for four seconds. Repeat it as many times as you need.

Improving Your Skin Through Meditation

Mediation can be an excellent way to improve your skin health. Using it to limit stress can prevent irritation, improve elasticity and reduce the effects of aging.