Meditate to reduce stress

Video: 5-Minute Meditation to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Content

To step
Method 1 of 3: Learn basic techniques for meditation
Method 2 of 3: De-stress with different meditation types
Method 3 of 3: Practice meditation
Tips
Warnings
Necessities

Do you feel tense, stressed or frustrated? Meditation is an ancient mind and body exercise that promotes relaxation and well-being. Research shows that meditation can have stress-reducing psychological and physical health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia and depression. In addition, meditation has also been shown to reduce the number of times you get the flu or cold, as well as how long and how severe the symptoms are. You may think that learning to meditate effectively is difficult or takes too much time, but you really only need a few minutes a day to do these simple exercises and feel refreshed.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Learn basic techniques for meditation

Find a quiet place. The world is a distracting place and this can be a difficult request. However, a quiet place where you can meditate without interruptions is valuable when learning to meditate to reduce stress. As you become more proficient in meditation, outside distractions will bother you less and less.
- In the beginning, many things are likely to distract you. You will hear cars passing, birds and people talking. It is best to turn off all electronic devices, such as smartphones and television, to minimize the number of things that can divert your attention from your meditative task.
- A room with a lockable door usually works well, but you can also get earplugs if necessary.
- As you become more adept at meditating, you will find that you can meditate anywhere - even in high-stress situations, such as traffic, work, or busy shops.
Decide on a comfortable position. Meditation can be done lying down, walking, sitting, or in virtually any other position. The key is to be comfortable so that discomfort doesn't distract you.
- Some people may feel more connected when sitting in a traditional cross-legged position. However, this can be uncomfortable for beginners, so consider putting your butt on a pillow, sitting in a chair, or using a wall to support your back.
Control your breathing. All meditation uses controlled breathing. Breathing deeply helps your body and mind to relax. In fact, effective meditation can be performed just by focusing on your breath.
- Inhale through your nose and then out through your nose. You will want to keep your mouth closed but relaxed while you breathe. Listen to the sound your breathing makes.
- Use the diaphragm to expand your lungs. Put your hand on your stomach. It should go up when you inhale and down when you exhale. Inhale and exhale at regular intervals.
- Controlling your breathing allows you to slow down the rate of your breath and fill your lungs with more oxygen per breath.
- Taking a deep breath relaxes the muscles of your upper body, such as those in the shoulders, neck, and chest. Deep diaphragm breathing is more efficient than shallow breathing with your upper body.
Focus on something. Paying attention to something or even nothing at all is an important component of effective meditation. The goal is to free your mind from distractions that cause stress so that your body and mind can rest. Some people choose to focus on an object, image, mantra, or each breath, but you can also focus on a white screen or something else.
- Your mind will likely start to wander during meditation. This is normal and expected - even for those who have been meditating for a long time. When this happens, simply bring your thoughts back to what you were focusing on when you started meditation, whether it was an object, your breath, or a feeling.
Begin to pray. Prayer is a form of meditation practiced all over the world in many different religious and non-religious settings. Adjust the prayer according to your needs, personal beliefs and meditation goals.
- You can pray aloud or silently, or write down your prayer. It can be in your own words or in those of others.
- Prayers can be devout or mundane. Decide what is best for you and your faith, and what you want the prayer to do for you. You can pray to a god, the universe, yourself or nothing in particular. It is up to you.
Know that there is no "right way" to meditate. If you get stressed about how you breathe, what you think (or don't think), or whether or not you are meditating correctly, then you are only adding to the problem. Meditation is adaptable to suit your lifestyle and situation. It's about taking a few moments your way to relax, in a busy, stressful world.
- It can be helpful to add meditation to your daily routine so that you practice regularly. For example, you can choose to start or end each day with a few minutes of meditation.
- There are many different types of meditation techniques you can try. Experiment by trying out different methods. Soon you will find one that works for you and that you really enjoy.
- There are probably meditation centers and classes available in your area. If you find yourself working better in a group with trained guides, consider attending a meditation at one of these places. You can usually get more information by searching for meditation and your location on the Internet, by looking in the newspapers, or by visiting a meditation center or temple nearby.
Enjoy it. Meditation can bring you short and long term benefits, but it should also be a pleasant experience. Some resistance to clearing your mind and relaxing is normal because we are so used to a lot of stress, but don't force yourself to meditate in a certain way if you don't enjoy it.
- The key is to find a sense of peace in the moment. Do not ignore the opportunity to meditate while doing normal activities. Routine tasks such as washing dishes, folding laundry, or repairing the truck are all opportunities to use relaxation methods, such as deep breathing, to meditate.
- Don't forget that creative, relaxing activities also work well for meditation. Listen to music, paint, read, work in the garden, write in a diary or watch the flames in the fireplace. These activities can focus your thoughts, reduce stress and change brain waves to a meditative state.

Method 2 of 3: De-stress with different meditation types

Try guided meditation. Guided meditation can be very helpful for beginners because someone else is guiding you in your effort to relax and get into a meditative state. These are usually descriptive by way of instruction, storytelling, fantasy or music and you can access them via a sound file (MP3, CD / DVD, etc.) on your computer, phone, tablet, or with a video.
- Guided meditation uses the senses. You use smells, views, sounds and structures to visualize various methods of relaxation. You often go along with it when a guide offers directions on how to breathe, relax muscle groups, and build a sense of inner peace.
Listen for brainwave entrainment. Nowadays there are various audio apps, CD / DVD and other forms of meditation available that use stereophonic rhythms to make it possible to meditate deeply very quickly.These rhythms synchronize brainwaves so that the frequencies are adjusted to help the mind reach various states of consciousness.
Focus with concentrating meditation. Concentration meditation lets you focus your attention on an image, object, sound or positive mantra. You can think of a peaceful beach, a bright apple, or a calming word or phrase. The idea is that what you choose to focus on helps you shut out distracting thoughts.
- As a mantra, you can repeat a word or phrase that calms you down. You can choose something like "I feel peaceful" or "I love myself" but anything that makes you feel better will work. You can say it out loud or silently, whichever you prefer.
- It may be helpful to place one hand on your stomach so that you can feel your breath as you practice controlled breathing, visualization, or mantra repetitions.
- Consider Japa medications. This uses the repetition of a Sanskrit term or word along with a rosary for meditation. You can also try passage meditation, which uses spiritual or inspirational passages to focus and achieve meditation.
Practice mindfulness meditation. Meditating in this way focuses your attention on the present moment. You bring awareness to what is happening now and your experience during meditation, such as your breathing. You recognize what you feel, think and what is happening around you without actively trying to change it.
- As you meditate, observe the thoughts that go through your mind and what you feel, but don't judge or try to stop them. Let your thoughts and emotions pass by themselves.
- Mindfulness meditation works because you are able to forget the past and the future. Stress comes from thinking too much about things beyond our control - things that have already happened and things that can happen. With this kind of meditation you are able to stop worrying about everything.
- You can bring your thoughts and feelings back to mindful meditation by focusing on the present moment. Pay attention to your body. Is your breathing deep and slow? Are your fingers touching? You don't stop wandering thoughts or feelings - just think about what's happening now.
- Try a loving gentle meditation. This is a deep desire for well-being and happiness for yourself. You focus on the feeling of love and well-being in the moment. Then you expand that feeling to everyone in the world.
Practice movement meditation. Yoga and Tai Chi are well-known stress-relieving meditative practices that use movement and breathing to promote well-being. Research shows that they are effective ways to meditate and stay healthy.
- Yoga uses a variety of movements and a series of postures, along with controlled breathing exercises to reduce stress and help you relax. The postures require balance and concentration, so that you are less able to think about stress factors.
- Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that uses a gentle series of postures and movements for meditation. The movements are even in pace and are made slowly in a graceful way, in combination with controlled breathing.
- Walk and meditate. Slow down your pace and focus on your legs and feet. Observe what the movement feels like as you move your legs and your foot hits the ground. Notice every sensation that arises. If it helps, you can try to silently repeat active words related to walking - lift, forward, foot down etc.

Method 3 of 3: Practice meditation

Find a calm, relaxed atmosphere. This could be anywhere. Outside under a tree, in a bedroom with the lights off, or even in your living room. Anywhere you feel comfortable is fine. Make sure there are no distractions in the environment you have chosen, and make sure there are no future distractions. You must be able to focus on the here and now.
Choose a comfortable position. Whether sitting, lying or standing, the choice is yours. Make sure it is comfortable for you. When you have found your position, close your eyes.
- When you sit, you will want to have good posture so that you can breathe better. Your back should be straight, your chest slightly raised and your shoulders back. Lift your chin slightly but don't tighten your neck. Your wrists should rest lightly on your knees, with the palms open and facing up.
Take a deep breath. As you sit in your position with your eyes closed, you breathe in slowly and deeply. As you inhale, relax. Loosen your shoulder and neck, wiggle your toes or fingers. Inhale slowly, and as you exhale, imagine all your stress and worry leaving your body every time you exhale.
Try to clear your mind and avoid distractions if you can. Get rid of any tasks that may wait until you are done meditating. As you breathe in, let go of all your worries. Stop stressing or thinking about obligations, agreements and responsibilities. Save that for later. Instead, become aware of yourself. Watch your breathing, your relaxation. Be in the moment and take advantage of it.
- If the phone rings, or you need to do an important task, then of course you should. You can always return to this meditation later.
Picture yourself in a happy place. This could be from a vacation from a few years ago when you were younger, a made-up place, or just sitting alone in a park. The point is, you get a great sense of the location.
- Another option is to practice mindfulness meditation. Just focus on what you are experiencing right now. Focus on your breathing, what you hear or smell, right now. Return your thoughts to your breath as often as possible.
Relax your body. Keep your eyes closed, continue to take a deep breath, and imagine your whole body slowing down. Your heart rate, your blood flow, all the way to your feet - everything should start to feel loose and heavy. Keep imagining yourself in your happy place while breathing slowly for the next few minutes.
- Scan your body to find areas that feel tense from stress. Start with your toes and go all the way up to your crown. Imagine every deep breath flowing into that part of the body, like heat or light. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes and repeat for each tense area.
Take your time. Don't worry about how long you should meditate. Continue to meditate until you feel relaxed and refreshed. Studies show that 5-15 minutes is helpful if you need a time frame. The moment you feel it's over, open your eyes and feel the benefits.

Tips

If you decide to use a guide or instructor in your meditation, inquire about the training and experiences of those you are considering.
Meditate in comfortable clothing. It can be anything as long as it is not restrictive.
Let others know when you are going to meditate, especially if you are going to do it in public. That way, no one will worry that something is wrong.
Don't feel pressured to complete any meditative practice. Do it at your own pace, stop when you need to and start over or finish when you want.

Warnings

Meditation can relax you so much that you fall asleep. Be aware that this can happen and only practice it in situations where it is safe to fall asleep.
Meditation takes time to master. Don't get frustrated if you can't meditate straight away for long periods of time, or if health benefits aren't immediately noticeable.
Meditation should not replace medical care. See a doctor if you are sick.
If finding time to meditate is causing you too much stress, just don't.
Meditation is a pretty safe practice for those who are healthy. However, if you have physical limitations, certain practices of movement meditation may not be feasible. Always consult with your doctor before participating in a meditation session.