It has been a joke for a long time that if you are stressed, you should just close your eyes and hum “om” to yourself for a few minutes. However, more and more medical professionals are coming to understand that there is actually some truth to the joke. Holistic approaches to medicine include addressing not just the physical aspect of health, but also engaging the mind and spirit and meditation is proving to be a key element in the equation.
Mindful meditation relaxes the body and the mind. Although it can take practice to learn how to disengage from what is causing stress, meditation can become a practice that, even if used for just a few minutes, can reduce your stress levels and have physical health benefits. Mindful meditation is about taking the time to breathe deeply and think carefully about the situation in front of you. Instead of being reactive to stress, you can become mindful and thoughtful.
Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve immune response, ease anxiety, improve sleep and help with pain management. For many people, learning to use mindful meditation also helps them begin to be able to distinguish between stress triggers they can control and those that are out of their control. As a result, they can more easily accept difficult situations and cope in healthier ways.
Meditation and becoming mindful really does take practice. It is not something you can decide you want to have in your life and you master it overnight. Instead, if you want to become mindful, take a moment when you feel stressed, breathe deeply and slowly and think about what is causing your stress. You might just be surprised as you stress levels decrease and you begin to feel much calmer. Our Meditation Expert, Dr. Puff, has some great articles on Meditation, and also has created a Beginners Guide to Meditation. Check them out and start calming your life today.
– The Alternative Daily
