The Power of Meditation for Mental Health
World Meditation Day is December 21st and spreads awareness about the importance of meditation and how helpful it can be for mental health. Meditation is a powerful tool to help cope with mental health symptoms. Practicing meditation can help us become more aware of our thoughts and our inner voice.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice that involves focusing on one singular thing, such as a mantra or guided recording. Meditation focuses on staying aware of the present moment and practicing non-judgmental thinking. Starting a meditation practice can have physical and emotional wellness benefits. Meditation has the goal of improving cognitive function and relaxation.
How Meditation Helps Mental Health
Meditation helps improve mental health because it can decrease stress levels and improve our thinking processes. Meditation can also lead to better quality sleep, which is important for emotional wellness. Practicing meditation regularly can also help change the way that our brains respond to stress, which can decrease levels of depression and anxiety. However, it’s important to remember that meditation is a tool for mental health. Meditation is not a replacement for therapy or medication for certain mental health conditions.
Ways to Use Meditation in Daily Life
Creating a meditation practice doesn’t have to be challenging or complicated. There are simple techniques that we can all try or fit into our daily lives. The most common type of meditation is a guided meditation. This can be a great place for beginners to learn more about meditation. Guided meditations help make sure we are breathing correctly and getting the most out of the meditation. There are many guided meditations online that can be accessed for free. Our lives our busy, and it may seem daunting to start practicing meditation. However, you can fit small times of meditation throughout your day. You could fit in a quick meditation before bed or before you have a meeting at work.
World Meditation Day is a great opportunity to remember how helpful meditation can be for mental health. Practicing meditation does not have to be overly stressful or complicated. In fact, the best way to ensure your meditation practice will stick is to make sure it is easily compatible with your lifestyle. Meditation is a great way to retrain our brains to focus on the moment and be less judgmental towards our thinking. These changes can help our moods improve and encourage more compassionate thoughts. Meditation can be challenging in some ways because our brains are trained to be moving at all times. However, training our brains to meditate can improve our mental health and general happiness.
If you (or someone you love) wants to explore the benefits of meditation in therapy, we are here to help! Reach out to us today if you are ready to start your healing journey.
References
https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-meditation-helps-with-depression
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17906-meditation
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/mindfulness-meditation-practice-changes-the-brain
Keywords: meditation, emotional wellness, guided meditation, relaxation