What is the first thought that comes into your head when the word meditation is used? Is it I already meditate every day? It's on my to-do list daily or Meditate, I don't have time? Whatever, your answer may be here are the benefits that meditation, or taking a few minutes to yourself can have.
1. Reducing effects of too much stress
Stress triggers the autonomic nervous system which leads to a spike in your hormones Epinephrine and Cortisol (Stress hormone). Too much of these hormones can have a vast range of effects on our health from increasing blood sugar levels and suppressing our immune system to constricting blood vessels.
Everyone experiences stress a little differently, which all depends on the demands that are placed on our shoulders and how we as individuals handle and familiarise ourselves with how stress affects us, whether it's with headaches, fatigue, insomnia or tension in our muscles
Practicing meditation can help counter the "stress response" with a relaxation process which may lead to a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption
2. Increase your self-awareness
Meditating and relieving some of the days stress can increase your self-awareness. When we experience stress, our minds get caught in the stress and we find ourselves continually thinking "I'm stressed!"
This thought process paves the path for how we think and feel for the rest of the day. Taking a few minutes of your day to process your thoughts and understand what you are feeling may help you understand what you are so stressed about and why you became so stressed about it to start with.
Meditating helps us increase our understanding of how we react in situations and our responses which gradually helps us in the long-term to understand certain mental patterns and how we react to them
So, next time you are feeling stressed, whether it is tense in the shoulders, or getting a headache, pencil into your day 5 minutes for yourself to find a quiet place to meditate.
That's it, all it takes is 5 minutes, finding a quiet place where you can sit or lie and reflect on how you are feeling, what you are feeling and why you are feeling that way! During your meditation some soothing music or nature may help you completely check out of the work or home mindset, there are plenty of apps with these available - or better yet just take a walk outside and find a quiet place there!
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
