The word ‘meditation’ seems to be a buzz word lately, which is wonderful news, as meditation does so much for us on physical, mental and spiritual levels.
On a physical level, meditation allows the body to stay stress-free. Mentally, it helps the mind feel peaceful and less attached to the outcome of each individual task we undertake. Spiritually, this practice takes us beyond the mind, to a new inner universe. The possibilities are endless. Meditation practices include many different techniques and each method may feel slightly different to each person. When trying to find the meditation technique that is right for you, try to find the practice that fits your nature. Don’t force yourself into a practice that feels unnatural to you. The right meditation method allows you to achieve flow and feel a certain ease and comfort in your practice.
There several proven benefits to meditation:
It soothes anxiety
It increases blood flow to the brain, thus enhancing focus, cognition and memory
It protects your heart by lowering stress and cortisol and helps regulate blood pressure, insulin resistance
It eases symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
It may also protect against dementia, Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline
Don’t have the time to meditate? Try this. Set a timer, find a comfortable place to sit, soften your body, breathe deep through your nose, let go of thoughts and don’t worry about doing it right.
There is no “right.” Keep bringing your attention back to your breath—that’s the meditation.
Looking for more support to build a meditation practice? There are many free and subscription-based meditation apps out there; try out a few and see what works best for you.
For more valuable advice on staying well throughout the pandemic, and to stay connected to others, we encourage you to join the QuadMed Well-being Facebook group or subscribe to the QuadMed YouTube channel, where you can find exercise videos and more to keep you active, healthy and engaged.
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