Meditation is good for us - Fact!
Why do we find it so hard to prioritise and what benefits are we missing out on?
Written by Julie McSherry - Meditation Teacher with 22 years personal meditation practice (and counting!)
I’d love to meditate but……
‘I can’t sit still’
‘My mind is always racing’
‘I can’t concentrate’
‘It’s too noisy’
‘I can’t find a comfortable position’
‘I don’t have the patience’
‘I’m too busy’
Sound familiar?
Most people starting out on a meditation journey feel some or all of the above, but like all great things it’s really worth the effort!
Taking an average day waking at 7am, going to bed at 10.30pm is 930 mins! Meditating for 10 minutes is a tiny amount of time which produces many, many positive benefits..
So where to start?
Choose a time that suits you for meditation. If you’re a night owl, early mornings may not work. The best times to meditate are right after waking up or before bed.
Try meditating at the same time as another daily habit, like before a shower.
Find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed.
For sitting, comfort is key. You don’t have to sit on the floor if it’s uncomfortable; sitting on a chair or against a wall is fine. Keep your spine straight—using a cushion can help.
Start with 10 minutes. As you relax, stay still and focus on your breath—notice each inhale and exhale.
It’s normal for thoughts to pop up; just let them pass and return your focus to your breathing.
With practice, you'll find fewer distractions as you get used to this quiet time.
Find your calm through meditation
Benefits of Meditation:
The effects of meditation are far reaching, positively impacting our physical health and our mental wellness, including cognitive functioning and emotional control.
Studies show reductions in:
Anxiety
Depression
Stress levels
Job burnout
We also see psychological benefits, such as:
Heightened empathy
Improved interoceptive awareness (stimuli and sensations within the body)
Better psychological wellbeing
Increased self-directedness (awareness that our actions and behaviors reflect our choices)
Improved cooperativeness (degree of agreeableness in relationships with others)
More self-transcendence (rising above the self and relating to something bigger)
Regular meditation has numerous physical & mental health benefits
Benefits of meditation on the brain:
Benefits of meditation includes physical changes to the brain and improved cognitive functioning, such as:
Slowing of brain aging (particularly thinning of the prefrontal cortex)
Improved attention
Increased innovation
Better problem-solving
Mental health conditions following trauma
Find your inner calm through meditation
Other physical benefits of meditation:
Other physical benefits offered by meditative and mindfulness practices — also backed up by research — include:
Strengthened immune function
Reduced stress
Improved sleep
Reduced panic attacks
Increased work satisfaction
Reduction in chronic pain
Reduced hypertension
Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease
thank you
Thanks for reading, please share with any friends, family or colleagues who could benefit.
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