What do you think when you hear the word ‘meditation’? Many people shrug it off with the thought “that won’t help me” or feel like it’s an overwhelming undertaking. However, research has found that meditation can be a powerful tool in reducing stress, anxiety, and even depression.
Our individual worlds are extremely fast paced and filled with stressful stimuli. The purpose of meditation is not to remove these things but rather to help your body manage them without raising your stress levels even further.
Let’s talk about stress for a minute – it is not something that we can touch but we are all familiar with the sensations it produces in our body…our heart rate increases, chest pounds, and breath quickens. When we experience these things, it means our body is releasing the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is meant to help us manage stressful situations in the short term, however, if we are constantly under stress our body overproduces this hormone creating negative long-term effects. Chronic stress is linked to headaches, musculoskeletal pain, anxiety, depression, and heart disease. For this reason, we need to have the tools to reduce our stress – which leads us to meditation. By focusing our attention inward, we can minimize the impact of stress on our body, what a gift!
There are many types of meditation, so you will need to find the practice that is best for you. You may prefer to be moving, called a walking meditation, where your breath aligns with your footsteps. You might prefer to settle in a quiet spot where you will not be distracted and bring your awareness to your body in solitude. Or you may choose to participate in a group meditation to feel the power of coming together as you are guided by your teacher. There is no right or wrong method, they will all provide wonderful results for your health. Start small, maybe just a few minutes a day, and observe how your meditation practice impacts your mood, your creativity, your productivity, and the sensations throughout your body.
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