Meditation for Stress
Do you resort to meditation when stressed? Often people take to stress relief meditation as an effective stress-buster.
Life can be stressful, and prolonged state of such agitation can cause serious damage to our health. Many of us would have experienced that overwhelming sensation. When we experience stress, our mind and body automatically give a fight-or-flight response. This is how we respond to stress.
Every individual may have different reasons for stress, but one thing that is common is that it can take a toll on their health. That’s the reason why meditation can prove beneficial in alleviating these stressors.
Stress relief meditation is quite beneficial in maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Sometimes, simply taking time to pause and rest the mind can be enough to feel better at the moment, meditation is a quick exercise to help distance yourself from stressful thoughts right away. Meditation is a health booster and is also highly effective in reducing stress factors.
What Is Stress Relief Meditation?
Meditation in stress affects the body in the exact opposite of stress. It helps in restoring the body to a calm state, helping the body repair on its own prevents it from any new damage from the physical effects of stress. The focus in meditation helps us in determining what thoughts to dwell on what to eliminate.
Meditation has been used for thousands of years. Some of the meditation techniques helpful for stress relief are mindfulness meditation, Loving Kindness Meditation (aka Metta meditation), breathing meditation, guided imagery meditation among others.
The Science Of Meditation For Stress
Meditation has been scientifically proven to help alleviate stress after just a few weeks of regular practice. It is a highly effective stress-management tool. When meditation is a consistent, daily practice it can reprogram the brain to the extent that you can experience more capacity to manage stress.
In training the mind to be more open and less reactive, we are better able to cope when life’s stressors such as in career, family, relationship, studies, finances, even traffic, etc. start to feel as if it were too much.
How To Practice Meditation for Stress?
For a beginner, it is always good if you start practicing under an experienced teacher or you can even take the help of a guided meditation online. However, you can follow some of the easy steps below to get going with meditation for stress.
Get comfortable. Sit on a cushion on the floor or lie down in a quiet place where there’s no disturbance.
Focus on your breathing. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Place your hand on your belly or your chest to feel the movement each time you inhale and exhale. Follow your breath as it comes in and goes out.
You'll probably notice your mind starts to wander. When your mind gets distracted, encourage it to gently return to focus on your breath.
For some people, it's easier to focus on a mantra or words they repeat in their heads instead of concentrating on the breath. Say them slowly inside as you breathe in and out.
Benefits Of Meditation For Stress:-
The benefits of meditation for stress include reducing physical discomfort, putting things into perspective to make better decisions, and coping with difficult situations.
Meditation can reverse the effects of the stress response in mind. Meditation requires you to journey from activity to silence, go beyond noisy mental chatter to a restful state of alertness. In doing so, you reach a deep state of rest while your mind is still awake and alert. And in this state of alertness, the body experiences many healing effects.
Practicing meditation promotes relaxation and gives you a restful sleep. Sleep deprivation can be a cause of increased stress levels and irritability. Meditation is an effective therapy for insomnia and helps in getting a restful sleep that is crucial to a sound physical and mental health.
It helps release emotional turbulence. With meditation you experience a continuous calming of the inner noise. With time the sensations linked with negative thoughts fade away.
Meditation produces a state of deep rest. Practicing meditation triggers the brain to release neurotransmitters that boost the feeling of wellbeing, inner calm, and focus.