What might happen when you start meditating every day
Thought about adding meditation to your daily routine? Wellness counsellor Deepak Kashyap reveals four health benefits you might experience from practising mindfulness meditation on a regular basis.
Daily motivation could improve your focus
In a world that bombards us with information, it’s hard to tell what deserves our attention – and even harder to give our undivided attention when it’s required. Meditation can be an effective tool in eliminating distractions, allowing us to stay focused on what matters – whether that’s reading the next page of a novel, or completing a presentation for work. A specific branch of mindfulness meditation called Focused Attention Meditation (FAM) can be particularly helpful in developing your powers of concentration.
1. You might stress less
A lot of people turn to daily meditation simply because they want to breathe a bit easier – and there’s plenty of scientific evidence to back them up. Spending as little as 10 minutes a day meditating – sitting comfortably, concentrating on your breathing and focusing on being “present” – has the potential to significantly reduce stress.
2. You might love yourself more
How many of us can look at our reflection in the mirror and truly say, “I love myself”? Self-acceptance is hard to develop, especially since it’s human nature to regret the decisions we’ve made (or didn’t make!), and compare ourselves to the skinnier, richer and more popular people on our Instagram and Facebook feeds. After regularly practising mindfulness meditation, you may find yourself acknowledging your perceived shortcomings without judging yourself too harshly. Self-acceptance is about recognising that you’re a work in progress – and there’s no such thing as perfection.
3. It may help you bounce back from depression
If you struggle with depression, you may find mindfulness meditation particularly helpful. In fact, several studies have shown that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce the risk of a depressive relapse for people with a history of recurrent depression.
4. It can help alleviate anxiety
The act of meditation targets the cycle of incessant worrying and negative rumination that’s at the heart of stress and anxiety – to the point where clinical psychologists are increasingly opting for mindfulness-based therapy to treat anxiety and mood disorders.
The ability to focus on the present – often achieved in meditation through controlled breathing – can provide a welcome sense of relief if you’re constantly dreading what the future might hold.
Written by Deepak Kashyap. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. Find more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.