17 Jun How meditation can help you

Meditation can help you develop self-awareness, reduce stress and anxiety, and have a positive effect on your physical wellness too. Your meditation practice can help you focus and become more productive at work, and learn to be more present with your loved ones. And you can add a daily meditation practice to your routine in as little as 10 minutes a day.

Meditation reduces stress

One of the most common reason people try meditation is to relieve stress. Mental and physical stress causes the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for the harmful effects of stress such as the release of cytokines. These inflammatory chemicals can disrupt sleep, increase blood pressure, and increase depression and anxiety symptoms. Research has shown ’mindfulness meditation’ reduced the inflammation response caused by stress and can improve the stress related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and PTSD.

Meditation controls anxiety

Reducing stress levels, can mean less anxiety. A study including 1300 adults showed that meditation could decrease anxiety, and that meditation decreased more significantly in those who had the highest levels of anxiety. Another study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalised anxiety. It also increased positive self-statements and improved stress coping and reactivity.

Meditation enhances self-awareness

Meditation can help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself, and help you grow into your best self. Self-enquiry meditation aims to help you have a better understanding of yourself and how you relate to people around you. While other forms of meditation can help you recognise self-defeating thoughts, improve your self-confidence, increase creativity and problem solving skills, and even reduce feelings of loneliness.

Meditation increases your attention span

Focusing your attention in your meditation practice increases the strength and endurance of your attention. A study found playing a meditation track helped improve accuracy and attention while the subjects completed a task. While another study showed meditation could help reverse the patterns in the brain that lead to worry, wandering minds, and a poor attention span.

How to add meditation to your daily routine

Meditation can take many forms, whether you follow a guided meditation, do breath work, participate in a meditation after exercise, or even try a colouring book – which induces the meditative state by reducing thoughts and promoting mindfulness and stillness. You can add meditation to your daily routine in as little as a few minutes a day. Why not try an app like the Guide To Light app, which has daily meditations for you to follow? Get your free trial here.

Martina

Guide by Light

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I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I do my spiritual work & live; the Yugambeh people, and recognise their continuing connection to the land, water & community. I pay my respects  and gratitude to the Elders of the past, present and emerging, Thank you.