Meditation: why do it and what are the benefits?

Meditation is not something on the esoteric, but an effective way to calm down and improve concentration. To reduce stress, it is enough to observe the objects around you, your breathing and thoughts for a couple of minutes. Exercise improves physical and mental well-being, and you can meditate even in bed, at the workplace or on the bus.

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What meditation is and why you need it

Meditation is a way to relax through concentration on what is happening around you: events, sounds, smells. The term comes from the Latin word meditari, which translates as “to contemplate”.

During the practice a person traces his or her own sensations in the body, lets go of emotions and thoughts. The purpose of the practice is to relax, get rid of anxiety, stop getting angry. Meditation is often combined with other physical and mental practices, such as yoga or journaling.

Whether it’s esoteric. Meditation has its roots in the religion of India, causing many to consider it a spiritual practice. Scientists found the first mentions in Indian texts, the Upanishads. Back then, people meditated to achieve “enlightenment” – the feeling of knowing the “true self”. Now meditation has been transformed and has even been incorporated into CBT as a scientifically validated way of calming down.

Some practices involve not only concentration but also movement, chanting mantras, repeating sounds such as “Om”. Sometimes chanting is replaced by playing traditional musical instruments such as singing bowls. It is believed that monotonous repetition of the same action calms the mind. Such practices include kundalini yoga. and transcendental meditation. They are associated with esotericism, but they can also be used for relaxation without belief in magical powers.

Benefits of meditation

Improved concentration and performance. When practiced regularly, meditation improves attention, reaction speed and concentration. In the study, participants took the Stroop test before and after mindfulness practices, and their level of attentiveness was higher in the second case. Verbal skills and communication were not affected by the exercises.

Multiple sclerosis patients also became less fatigued after six months of yoga, which included relaxation techniques and postures. Participants who exercised on an exercise bike achieved similar results.

Reduced stress levels. Classes teach you to react calmly to any events, reduce anxiety levels and the likelihood of panic attacks. Remember that meditation is not a substitute for treatment of anxiety disorder and other mental illnesses.
Memory Improvement. The constant production of cortisol under stress interferes with remembering new information and decreases attention span. Meditation calms you down and reduces the concentration of the hormone. Also, studies show that regular practice increases blood flow to the brain and slows the aging process in certain areas.

Types of meditations

Mindfulness meditation. A person focuses his or her attention on external objects and internal state to realize where he or she is and how he or she feels. This method does not assume a correct algorithm – for example, one can first pay attention to the movement of the chest, and then notice the cat sleeping on the windowsill. This is the shortest and simplest version of meditation used in cognitive behavioral therapy.
Loving-kindness meditation. The meditator thinks of people he or she wants to thank, for example, for their help, helpful advice, or kindness. You can visualize them and mentally say thank you, or you can immerse yourself in pleasant experiences and feel joy again. Recollections of positive events calm people down and help them feel a sense of belonging.
Progressive muscle relaxation. A person lies down on a flat surface and alternately tenses and relaxes the muscles of the body. Studies confirm that this method of dynamic meditation relieves anxiety and prepares the body for sleep.
Yoga nidra. The practitioner lies down on the floor or bed and tries to enter a state of light slumber. This feeling, when one begins to sink into sleep but still hears sounds around him or her, is “quiet alertness”.
Binaural meditation. The person enters the same state of light slumber as in yoga nidra, but uses audio with binaural rhythms for this purpose – to reduce anxiety.
Vipassana. During the practice, a person refuses to talk to others for 16 hours and immerses himself in meditation – he performs ordinary activities, but at the same time tracks sounds and tries not to think about anything.

In the full version of the practice, such a regime is observed for 10 days. Studies show that the experience of meditation in the retreat format improves concentration.

Ways of meditation for beginners

A beginner in meditation does not have to study the theory or give up socializing with people for a whole day. For the first steps in the art of relaxation it is enough to master simple techniques.

Concentration on an object. Focus your attention on any object, such as a lit candle, a flower in a vase or the tip of a pencil. Try to simply look at the object, and if thoughts form in your mind, return to the observation again.
Concentration on the breath. Pay attention to how and with what speed you make inhalation and exhalation. Try to lengthen them, listen to the sound of breathing, feel how the air touches your nostrils.
Conscious observation. For a fixed amount of time, track your thoughts without irritation, joy, or other emotions. Visualize them as if they were floating past you on a river. Observe the intonation of the interlocutor’s voice and his facial expressions. Even if it is a close and familiar person, look at communicating with them as something new and unusual – this will help to keep the observation longer.
Relaxed presence. Sit in a relaxed environment and observe what is happening. If you are at home, listen to the sound of a clock on the wall or the refrigerator. On a car ride, look at the people around you, the houses outside the window, the upholstery of the seats.

How to learn to meditate at home

How to start meditating. Allocate a couple minutes a day when you can keep your mind free of distractions: in the morning, at lunchtime at work, or before you go to bed. Watch your breathing or an object near you, try to relax.

If you can not perform the practice yourself, turn on a video with a voice on YouTube or use an application with ready-made meditation programs: a specialist will tell you what to pay attention to at a particular moment.

Postures and body position for meditation. Practice sitting on a chair or bed in a comfortable position for relaxation. Meditations in which you do not need to concentrate your gaze can be performed lying down.

To properly sit on the floor during meditation, you can purchase a special cushion – it creates elevation in the back and supports the legs in the front. Marketplaces sell kits with a cushion, eye pad, bags and knee rolls, but you don’t have to buy these items – you can meditate without them.

If you want to try practicing with additional equipment, when choosing, pay attention to some parameters:

shape – round cushions are universal, and variants in the form of the letter V better support the hips;
material – equipment made of pleasant fabric of natural colors helps to relax;
filler – natural ones, such as buckwheat husks or hemp husks, do not prevent the skin from breathing, but may seem too stiff or rustle. Polyester is softer, but it’s easy to sweat while sitting on a pillow with this filling.

With music or in silence. If it is difficult to get your mind off your thoughts and back to mindful observation, turn on white noise or quiet music, such as nature sounds or birdsong. When practicing becomes easier, practicing without music can help you concentrate.

How often you should meditate. It is important to maintain regularity. Beginners can repeat meditation every day several times – this way the technique will become a useful habit. Over time, everything will work out effortlessly, you will be able to calm down and relieve irritation at any time – even if you only practice a couple times a week.

How long the meditation should last. Start with one minute and gradually increase the time. In a study, participants achieved positive results after 20 minutes of practice.

What time of day is best to meditate. For beginners, it is better to practice after waking up: in the morning, the brain has not yet had time to load with work and personal matters. When meditation becomes a skill, you can incorporate the practice into your daily routine – it can help you take a break from work and prepare for sleep.

How to know you’re doing it right. Meditation is a personal practice with a different goal for everyone: to relax, to focus, to become calmer, to improve memory. If after the class you feel that you got closer to the goal and you feel better – everything is right.

Mistakes of beginners in meditation

The first meditation classes will not be perfect. For example, an unexpected message can distract you from contemplating the subject, an unfamiliar situation can make you laugh and knock you out of breath. This is normal, the important thing is to keep practicing. Here are some mistakes that hinder progress in the practice and discourage meditation.

Practicing during times of irritation or fatigue. Meditation for a beginner is a way to calm down when the stressful situation is over and the problem is solved. In the beginning, it takes more energy and attention to practice, so it is better to skip a session when there is a busy day at work and your thoughts are not at rest. If stress and anger have become a part of life, use comprehensive recommendations and consult a psychotherapist.

Do not think about anything. Often during practice, you get bored and extraneous thoughts appear. If you set yourself the goal of not thinking about anything, the result will be the opposite: thoughts will come into your head one after another.

If thinking gets in the way, change your focus and direct your attention to an object nearby, your breathing or the sensations in your body.

Immerse yourself in thoughts. One way to meditate is to track thoughts, but do it dispassionately. If you think about work tasks or troubles while relaxing, meditation will not have the desired effect.

If your thoughts are bothering you, interrupt the session, write down everything that is bothering you, and then return to the practice.

Make meditation a habit, even if it doesn’t work. Sometimes it’s not yet time to practice – your brain doesn’t want to relax and get distracted from important matters. Postpone the practice – for example, for the evening, when nothing prevents you from focusing on the subject or breathing.

If you can’t meditate at all, perhaps this format isn’t right for you. Try other ways to calm down and cope with fatigue.

Is there any contraindication to meditation

There are no definite contraindications to meditation, but people with depression, addictions, diagnosed anxiety and other mental disorders should consult a doctor before beginning. Mindfulness practices can worsen the condition.

In studies, meditation has caused panic attacks and anxiety in some people. It is specified that external conditions may have led to this effect: participants were asked to practice meditation in a laboratory rather than at home. In other 20 randomized controlled clinical trials, no serious side effects were found.

What’s the bottom line

Meditation is one way to calm down, reduce stress levels, and improve cognitive function. Exercise consists of observing your surroundings, breathing, and body sensations.
You can practice on your own, or if you can’t, you can watch a YouTube video or use an app with a selection of ready-made meditations.
In the beginning it is important to practice regularly. You can start with one minute and gradually increase the duration of practice. The optimal time to achieve a positive effect is 20 minutes.
People with mental disorders should consult a doctor before practicing: meditation can worsen the condition.