10 Dec Meditation: The Practice that Can Improve Your Mood (and Life)!
This has been an unprecedented year in many ways; people of all ages are struggling with Pandemic overload, stress, fear, frustration, and all of this on top of the usual daily worries we all carry. While there isn’t a magic wand, and the Pandemic will take months to improve (even with hope, thankfully and finally, on the horizon), there is a practice you can start that requires only minutes of your time and which can have major health benefits: meditation.
Many people think meditation is difficult, or something that only certain people can successfully do. The fact is, meditation requires some of your time, a quiet place, and your willingness to try. We know from a scientific perspective that meditation can reduce stress, and improve symptoms in conditions like: anxiety, high blood pressure, chronic pain, depression, headaches, and more. You may find that it helps improve your mood after a particularly stressful day.
In order to meditate, you can simply find a comfortable, quiet space, where you won’t be disturbed (silence that phone!), and get started. Sit comfortably, but try to avoid lying down in a place you could fall asleep. Focus on the sensation of your breath, but not on controlling it. When your thoughts begin to bounce around – as they inevitably will – gently return your focus to your breathing. While it may seem like you have to re-focus your attention a lot, with practice you’ll find your thoughts less and less intrusive when you meditate. If you find yourself struggling to master it, try shorter sessions until you’re more comfortable.
Meditation is an excellent practice for anyone to develop: young, old, sedentary or active. It can help improve your mood, and reduce your stress – and is a great way to relax your mind and body. 2020 has provided more of a reason than any time in recent history to pay extra attention to the toll that perpetual stress takes on our minds and bodies. While we tend to think of them as separate systems, our minds and bodies work together. Emotional stress can also have a negative impact on our bodies. Meditation is one way to help reduce stress and improve health.
For those who need a little extra guidance, there’s an app for that! From now until July 2021, Down Dog is making its meditation app free to everyone: Meditation | Down Dog (downdogapp.com) So if you need some help getting started and guidance at your own pace, give Down Dog a try!
We know that 2020 has been a year to remember (in most of the worst ways). Feeling bad physically can add one more problem to the list; but Body One Physical Therapy is here to help. Our team of caring, expert Physical Therapists works with clients of all ages and activity levels and we’re ready to help you feel better. We’re both locally-owned and operated, and we have three convenient locations serving Central Indianapolis: North Indy/Carmel, Fishers, and Zionsville. Don’t sit at home and suffer, call or click today. Can’t get here in person? We also offer TelePT!
