Does meditation really work? – Your guide to mindfulness

As many people juggle school, family issues, world issues, and other issues in their lives, they begin to feel emotional strain which can result from very demanding circumstances. There are several ways to manage stress, such as regular exercise, a stable diet, and connecting with supportive people. One method that is researched to reduce stress the most is meditation. Meditating means concentrating your mind for a while in a relaxing and comfortable place. Meditation works by focusing your attention to result in more improved emotional and physical well-being.

Science

Before diving into the basics of meditation and achieving a state of mindfulness, it is important and interesting to understand the scientific aspects of mindfulness and the effect it has on your body, both physically and emotionally. Mindfulness is linked to a change in the brain and the production of hormones that affect physical health. It can change self and body awareness (thoughts, emotions and sensory details). Researchers have noticed that people who practice mindfulness are more likely to react calmly and thoughtfully in stressful situations. These reactions occur when your brain induces the relaxation response which then triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming you down by lowering your heart rate, muscle tension and blood pressure.

Techniques

It’s important when you start practicing mindfulness to understand the different techniques that can help you reduce your stress and how they affect you. Mindfulness exercises that are more practical are correlated to your brain and emotional well-being. One technique is journaling. It may be more or less appealing to a particular person. Keeping a journal is great for keeping you in the moment, as well as for reflecting on how you are feeling and what is most important to you. If you don’t like to write, you can also do a variety of physical exercises, such as stretching and body analysis. It helps to see how your body is feeling at that exact moment. You can also practice mindfulness during the day if you’re in a public or crowded place and you start to feel anxious, stressed, or just want to reset yourself. Practicing mindful breathing is easy to do without drawing attention to yourself. The most well-known form of mindfulness is meditation. Meditation can also be the hardest to practice because it uses all of your senses and feelings. In order to apply meditation, you want a quiet setting where you feel safest and most comfortable. Meditation involves observing your breath, reciting affirmations, physically stretching, and more. You can always find more information online and through groups on how to incorporate meditation into your daily routine (always find reliable and helpful resources).

Starting

The next big question is how to start incorporating mindfulness into a routine and how to practice it. When you start mindfulness, it starts small. For example, remember to breathe before you rest, or before bed, to reduce stress. Once you feel ready, you can start adding daily journaling, yoga, or meditation. Starting small can help the body accept the changes you’re about to make mentally and physically, it can also help you feel a greater sense of accomplishment when you reach your goal or add a new concept to your fitness routine. awareness. If you have trouble remembering to meditate, or don’t want to do it alone, you can always invest in classes that focus on aspects of mindfulness, or you can take YouTube videos and tutorials, as well as a variety of apps that can guide you through mindfulness practices. (My favorite app is Headspace which focuses on meditation).

Remember that you may not always be motivated to journal, do yoga, or meditate, and that’s okay. Just remember why you started practicing mindfulness in the first place and keep doing what makes you feel comfortable.