The Benefits of Meditation and How I Started My Journey

As a psychiatric nurse, my daily life at work involves teaching all things related to wellness; intuitive eating, deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation and so much more. Meditation is a concept that I have learned so much about and have adapted into my daily life.

I am a huge supporter of true crime podcasts and shows which along with my ADHD leaves me on a constant adrenaline rush. I’m always on the go/doing something because I just don’t know how to slow down. I started researching meditation because many of my co-workers and patients were trying it. I found that there are many psychological and physical benefits including learning to slow down and getting off of my constant adrenaline rush.

According to Psychology Today, “The physical act of meditation generally consists of simply sitting quietly, focusing on one’s breath, a word or phrase.” Meditation has been shown to decrease anxiety and depression, lessen the occurrence of anger, increase energy, reduce gastrointestinal and heart problems, and decrease the production of cortisol which therefore, allows individuals to better adapt to and cope from stressful situations.

I decided to start meditating to see what would happen. I started by using the Headspace app because they have a free 10 day trial where they walk you through a guided meditation. Then, I went with my aunt to a meditation class where we learned about the origin of meditation and tips of how to make it work.

For me, it is very difficult to train my brain to release thoughts. In meditation, it is okay to have thoughts but you just continue to count to 10 or use a mantra so that you re-direct your attention away from all the thoughts that are popping up. After every meditation session I leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and energized. I like to do these sessions at night for around 5-10 minutes to prepare my mind for bed. For me, this allows the opportunity to forget about the true crime podcasts and relax in my body as I drift to sleep. Some, however, prefer to start their mornings with a meditation so they can begin on a good start. It’s entirely up to you.

As I look at my current meditation practice, I am realizing that I do not yet carve out the proper amount of time each day to make it a priority. Moving forward, my goal is to meditate every week night so that I have a total of 5x/day.

I would love to chat with any of you who currently meditate or those who are starting your practice. Do you incorporate crystals? Do you prefer guided meditations? What benefits have you seen? Do you need accountability or help? Email me at stylebylivblog@gmail.com and we can chat!

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200105/the-science-meditation

LYMI, Liv