Running late to work, having an argument with your partner, thinking about those unpaid bills.
These issues start to add up and compound day after day.
When stress goes unchecked, it can affectour health and our relationshipsin a profound way.
Unfortunately, these stressful situations are inevitable.
There will just be days that don’t go well.
So how can we protect ourselves?
The answer is much simpler than we often think: just do nothing!
And we mean literally nothing.
Put down your phone, close your eyes, and just breathe.
Yep, we’re talking about meditating.
It’s hard to keep up with all the positive benefits of meditation.
So throw down that meditation pillow and get your “Om” on.
It’s going to be a good day!
What is meditation?
Sounds pretty good, right?
Simply put, meditation is focusing on the present moment.
Our minds will always wander, but when meditating, just gently bring your attention back to the present.
Feel the sun on your face, hear the breeze through the trees, and be kind to yourself.
The hormone cortisol is released in the body during times of stress.
Happy feelings
Meditation lowers stress, but it can also protect against depression.
Pregnant women who practice daily mindfulness areless likely to report depressionduring and after pregnancy.
When provided in schools, meditation is linked tolower rates of depression in adolescents.
Meditation can actually change the brain itself.
Participants who practiced meditation regularly for a month had increased signaling connections in the brain.
They also had an increase in the protective tissue around the axons in the brain and improved mood.
A study from theAcademic Medicinejournal found that physicians who practiced meditation were better listeners with their patients.
They also reported feeling more self-aware and less judgmental at work.
Soldiers in the Marine Corps have benefited from meditation as well.
Those who practice daily mindfulness haveimproved attentions spans and are more resilient to stress.
These benefits don’t just affect employees, but students too.
Deeper relationships
Meditation can actually make you amore compassionate person.
We all want to be better mothers, wives, and daughters.
This sounds like a good way to do it!
Practicing mediation can also help you feel more connected to others.
Studies have shown that regular meditation candecrease feelings of loneliness in the elderly.
Healthy body
Meditating can actually make you healthier.
It’s been shown to helpprotect against respiratory diseases.
Meditation can even save you a little money in healthcare costs.
And if you’ve been wanting todrop a few pounds, meditation could even help with that.
How can you practice it?
Try sitting with your eyes closed for one minute.
You could start by focusing on your breath to slow your mind.
Remember that your mind will wander, and that does not mean you’re doing it “wrong.”
The most important aspect of meditating is nonjudgment.
You simply cannot mess this up.
Your meditation practice is just for you, so take a deep breath and enjoy it.
There will be times when you venture to meditate, and your mind is racing.
Just accept where you are and gently bring your mind back to your breath.
