No one other than cancer patients knows how stressful their journey is. The diagnosis comes as a shocker and causes deep-seated despair and depression. As if side-effects of cancer treatment are not enough taxing; uncertainty of health and fear of recurrence gnaws the patients from within. In a word, cancer patients have to deal with physical, emotional and psychological burden during their treatment. They experience constant and quick mood swings, intense emotional fluctuations every now and then. From diagnosis to recovery, it’s a roller coaster emotional ride for them.
At the best cancer treatment hospital in Kolkata, meditation is integrated into the comprehensive care plan. Meditation works like a funnel and flushes out worries, anxiety, pessimism and other negative thoughts. In other words, meditation is a workable approach towards reliving cancer-related emotional challenges. As practicing meditation regularly reduces stress, cancer patients can find it easier to cope with physical pain, get good sleep and gain energy. In this article, we will explore how meditation can help cancer patients during their treatment.
Benefits of Meditation
Many researchers have conducted clinical trials to assess the health benefits of meditation on cancer patients. They have studied both short and long-term effects.
Reduces Anxiety, Stress and Depression
Meditation, if practiced regularly, releases stress and anxiety. Studies show that regular meditation is a great stress-buster and even improves brain’s function. Human brain is responsible for assessment, decision making and self-control. Hence, mindfulness meditation slows the process of automatic reactions, gives patients plenty of time for assessment and helps them choose the right course of action that suits their situations or perspectives. In a word, meditation boosts your sense of self-control.
Cancer patients, who perform mindfulness, experience calmness amid chaos. They feel relaxed and less impulsive. All these improve their quality of life.
Improves Sleep
Fatigue, insomnia and other sleep disorders are common in cancer patients. They may find it difficult falling asleep or catching a good night’s sleep. As a result, they find it hard to stay focused and alert during the daytime. As per several studies, mindfulness meditation reduces stress and promotes quality and duration of sleep.
Promotes Immune Function
Studies on women with breast cancer show that practicing mindfulness regularly strengthens the immunity system. For example, researchers found that cancer patients, who were a part of the mindfulness control group, had their T-cells (a type of cell integral to immune function) readily activated and rapid recovery.
Reduces Physical Pain
20-50% of cancer patients feel pain. Discomfort is also a common problem. Pain and discomfort may be related to cancer, its treatment or both. In advanced stage cancer (Stage III or Stage IV cancer), 80 percent patients report severe pain. In a controlled study in women with breast cancer, patients showed significant and durable responses to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy compared to those waiting for treatment.
Boosts Energy
Meditation is an effective energy booster. Fatigue is a common symptom of cancer. It may result from cancer as the body’s mechanism fights the invaders i.e. malignant cells. Cancer treatment and cancer-related stress also make patients fatigue. Sometimes, fatigue may be overwhelming. Mindfulness meditation perks up their energy.
Conclusion
Meditation is an age-old practice to calm both the mind and the body. It has shown to improve mindfulness and increase awareness. Cancer patients usually worry a lot about their future, which is one of the causes of their stress. Meditation brings minds back to present by freeing patients from stressful worries and memories. Hence, meditation can promote relaxation, concentration, clarity and compassion.