Meditation
It’s no secret that meditating is great for mental health. But sometimes we all may wonder “how does anyone have the time?!”
Meditating doesn’t have to be an hour long, with your legs crossed on the top of a mountain…. Although if you have that opportunity, definitely take it! It is about the practice of mindfulness, training your brain to bring attention to the present moment.
Why is Meditating Great for Your Mental Health?
There are so many benefits to meditation, but what makes it so great? It has a lot of benefits for both physical and
psychological health. Controlling your breath can have TONS of benefits for your physical health. But a major benefit is being able to change the way you control how you handle stress. Here are some great benefits of meditation:
Physical:
Lowers oxygen consumption
Increases blood flow
Lowers heart rate
Decreases muscle tension
Helps with headaches & migraines
Psychological:
Builds self-confidence
Helps focus & concentration
Increases creativity
Improved memory
Influences mood and behaviour
Spiritual:
Provides peace of mind
Promotes happiness
Increased compassion
Growing wisdom
Changes attitude toward life
Best of all, meditation has NO negative side effects. Bottom line, there is nothing but positive to be gained from it! With such a huge list of benefits, the question you should ask yourself is, “why am I not meditating yet?”
How to Start Your Meditation Journey
Meditation doesn’t require any fancy clothing or equipment. It doesn’t take any special space or time. Simply, all you need it you! A great place to start meditating is first thing in the morning while you’re still in bed! There is no specific end goal for meditating, it is all about the process. Remember that they way you feel is the most important part. A great way to get started is to use meditation apps or online videos to help you get started.
Here are some great tips for meditating:
Find a comfortable quiet place
Start small – 5 – 10 minutes and increase from there
Sit, lay down, stand (whatever is better for you)
Focus on your breath
Put on some calming music
Diffuse calming essential oils (DoTerra Serenity is great to promote relaxation)
If you’re looking for more tips to help you control your anxiety, please reach out to learn more about anxiety counselling and how it can help you.
