Practicing mindful meditation and getting regular exercise may help you lessen the incidence and severity of symptoms associated with upper respiratory infections such as the common cold or the flu. Your boss may even pay for your gym membership and allow for meditation time when they find out these activities can help dramatically reduce the number of missed work days due to illness.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin divided one hundred fifty four adults over the age of 50 into three groups during a full winter season in Wisconsin. One group practiced mindful meditation for 45 minutes a day which includes focusing on your mind and body and can also include yoga or stretching. One group participated in moderate intensity exercise for 45 minutes a day which included activities such as jogging or biking. The control group was asked not to change any of their regular habits (which did not include regular exercise or meditation).
The exercise group ended up with a combined total of 241 sick days, the meditation group logged in 257 sick days, and the control group (who did not exercise or practice meditation) suffered through a whopping 453 sick days. The incidence, duration, and severity of the respiratory illness suffered by the exercise and meditation participants were around 30-60% less than what the controls experienced. Of course if you are sick less often or have more mild symptoms then you won’t be forced to miss as much work for sick days. Absenteeism was more than 30 percent greater in the control group than the exercise and meditation groups.
Practicing meditation can help reduce stress levels and appears to have a positive impact on the immune response. It has also been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body. Exercise helps circulate immune cells throughout the body faster and “flushes” bacteria from lungs making them better able to fight off invading cold and flu viruses. Participating in regular moderate-intensity exercise can help reduce the risk of infections, especially in those who go from a sedentary life to participating in regular exercise. As with most things, moderation is key. Excessive strenuous exercise may actually weaken the immune system.
2013 Megan Witt
References:
Meditation or Exercise for Preventing Acute Respiratory Infection: A Randomized Controlled Trial
http://annfammed.org/content/10/4/337.full?sid=132cf03d-32de-476e-9fbb-449b66ce11ce
Value associated with mindfulness meditation and moderate exercise intervention in acute respiratory infection: the MEPARI Study
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23515373
US News and World Report
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/65/4/564.full
Exercise and Immunity
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007165.htm