Even though isn’t something you can touch or see, you can certainly feel the effects of stress, both mentally and physically. Stress can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, which could be hazardous to your health now and in the future. When you go through stressful situations consistently, your adrenal glands produce cortisol. Too much cortisol can affect brain function, keep your internal organs from working properly, and compromise your immune system. Chronic stress is also connected with anxiety, depression, heart disease, headaches, and unfortunately, premature death.
Even if you can’t always get rid of the sources of your stress, you can reduce the effects stress has on your body. One of the ways to do this is through meditation. Meditation is a practice that helps you direct your attention inward to promote relaxation.
How Meditation Works
People have been practicing meditation for thousands of years. Research concerning meditation is fairly new, but indicates that this practice is beneficial for human health. A review published in JAMA Internal Medicine from January 2014 asserts that meditation can relieve physical pain, depression, and anxiety. The study even indicated that meditation was just as effective as an antidepressant for some people.
Meditation works by affecting the sympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for a rise in blood pressure, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate during stress. Meditation also has spiritual benefits. Burke Lennihan, a registered nurse and meditation instructor at the Harvard University Center for Wellness, states that meditation enhances creativity and intuition while helping people create with their inner thoughts and feelings.
Types of Meditation
There are several types of meditation, including:
Concentration meditation, which teaches you how to focus mentally. This form of meditation is the structure for other meditation types.
Heart-centered meditation, which involves calming the mind so you can focus on the heart. The heart is the center of energy in the body.
Mindfulness meditation, which prompts you to concentrate on negative thoughts as they occur so you can acknowledge these feelings objectively and calm your mind.
Tai chi and qigong, which are forms of meditation that involve movement and combine exercise with focus and breathing.
Transcendental meditation, which is a common technique that requires you to repeat a mantra to soothe your thoughts and increase your awareness.
Walking meditation, which directs your focus to your mind and body and take deep breaths in sync with your footsteps.
Lennihan states that it’s best to try various forms of meditation to determine which techniques work best for you. Meditation in a group can be especially powerful and going through the steps with a teacher will make the meditation process easier if you’re just getting started.
How to Start Meditation
One of the best things about meditation is that you don’t need any equipment to get started. All you need is a few minutes a day and a quiet space. Even if you only have five minutes a day, you can start meditating regularly to get the health benefits. It’s best to meditate at the same time each morning so you can form a habit and make your mental and emotional health a vital part of your day.
The steps in your meditation practice will depend on the type of meditation you prefer, but these helpful tips can get you started:
Establish a specific place to meditation. This gives you an emotional connection to the state and put you in a relaxed state of mind quickly. Add fresh flowers, incense, or candles to the space to promote a sense of tranquility.
Sit on the floor with your back straight or comfortably in a chair.
Focus on an object in the space or close your eyes.
Breathe gently and deeply. When you exhale, imagine that your breath is a river that is carrying your negative thoughts away.
Calm your mind down and redirect yourself back to a meditative state if you start to think about other things.
If you want, you can also chant out loud. You can say the word “shanti,” which is a Sanskrit word that means “peace.” You can also select a word from your religion or spiritual practice.
After just a week or so of meditation, you’ll see a significant change in your stress levels and overall mood. Even in the middle of your hectic schedule and busy life, you can still achieve inner peace when you meditate regularly.
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