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There’s no denying thatmeditationhas officially gone mainstream.
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Gone are the days where people turned their noses up and wrote it off as a hippy-dippy practice.
But it’s even more powerful than you think.
Here’s how meditation can help put you in control of your mental health.
Meditating actually changes your brain, and with it, the way your body responds stress.
Which works wonders on depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Specifically, there was more activity in the portions dedicated to processing stress, focus, and calmness.
The research backs up what Richmond has observed in practice.
“The main way for treating soldiers is talking to a counselor.
Meditation can even take the place of medication for some people.
Other research from theU.S.
Ward says the majority of her clients try meditation to avoid prescription meds.
For the best results, meditate every day, first thing in the morning.
And you could start with just five minutes.
Research has yet to pinpoint the magic time requirement to see these brain changes and improve mental health outcomes.
But Ward says ideally you should attempt to do it every day for 10-12 minutes.
Four to fives times per week is great too, if you really can’t get to seven.
The key is to be consistent.
If you’ve never meditated before, start with just five minutes.
“For many people, thats going to seem like an eternity,” she says.
But if you prefer doing it on your own most days, that’s fine too.
You have to find what works best for you.
If you want a little more guidance or structure, try a mindfulness app.
Whatever lets you focus, breathe, and be present in the moment.
“But definitely not TV,” Ward warns.
Finally, for best results, Ward recommends a morning meditation.
“Sleep is a very different brain pattern than meditation,” she explains.
“So you want to do it first thing when you wake up.”
you might even practice while you’re still lying in bed.
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