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In Lifestyle September 17, 2019

How to do effective Meditation for Anxiety?

Healing disorders with meditation for Anxiety

Meditation is a magical way of healing disorders. Practicing meditation for anxiety regularly can bring in several positive changes to the mind and body. It helps us think better, work well, and see the world more positively.

Meditation means spending quality time with ourselves, and that is of utmost importance. In this article, we will deal with anxiety and how meditation can help get rid of it.

What is anxiety?

Our body’s and mind’s reflex reaction to stress is anxiety. We are stressed and experiencing anxiety when we constantly fear the unknown. It is the fear of negative outcomes or happenings. We keep thinking of everything negative that may happen to us.

For example, our first day at the new job will not be great or how I may look when I am on the stage and so on. In some cases, anxiety and this fear may last longer than a couple of months and start teasing our everyday lives. Moreover, you must know that you are experiencing not just stress but an anxiety disorder at this stage.

Anxiety disorder

There is nothing wrong with being stress when you are going to start something new, or there is an exam or interview. The anxiety of any form is a little distracting and disturbing, but it also motivates us to do better in life. If you are experiencing minor stress or anxiety, it will never interfere in your life.

If you are experiencing an anxiety disorder, the worst may happen, and you will feel anxious all the time. It is disturbing and debilitating at the same time. Being anxious means, you will not focus on your everyday work and not enjoy the activities you love. When anxiety takes over you, it may result in fear of everything at all times.

You will fear going out and mixing with people, crossing the streets, or even climb stairs. It is a disconcerting feeling that you cannot get over easily. If you experience any of these signs, we suggest that you seek expert assistance immediately.

Moreover, there is no particular age to develop any mental or emotional disorders. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), women are at a higher risk of anxiety disorder than men.

Types of anxiety

Anxiety plays a pivotal role in triggering several other disorders. The following are the major types of anxiety disorders:

Panic disorder– When you experience continuous panic attacks, it may result in a panic disorder. In this scenario, you will also live in fear of the next panic attack at all times.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – The term PTSD justifies the phase you go through after a certain trauma. It may last longer than you are expecting.
Phobia– When you fear particular objects, activities, and situations too much that it plays with your mind.
Social anxiety disorder– SAD is a fear that people will judge you for everything that you do.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – OCD is when you start thinking everything irrationally. You will also perform particular activities repeatedly and still not be content.
Illness anxiety disorder– When you are constantly conscious about your health and fall ill, you may suffer from an illness anxiety disorder. Earlier, the term used for this disorder was hypochondria.
Separation anxiety disorder is a constant fear of losing loved ones or being away from your home or family.

Anxiety symptoms

The symptoms of anxiety vary from person to person. The signs of anxiety may be as normal as butterflies in the stomach to a pounding heart with racing heartbeats. You may experience an imbalance between the mind and your body.

The worst part is that you cannot control all of what is happening around you. Well, you are experiencing an anxiety disorder and need urgent help. There are various other signs and symptoms that people experience due to anxiety. For example,

Nightmares
Painful memories and thoughts
Panic attacks
Higher heart rate
Insomnia
Fast breathing
Focus issues
Restlessness

Do not get confused when you experience different symptoms than someone else. It is completely normal to go through different situations during moments of anxiety.

Anxiety attacks

You are experiencing an anxiety attack when there is an extremely overwhelming apprehension, phobia, worry, and depression. In the case of most people, the attack stage develops very slowly. It will be at its peak when you are going to approach a stressful event.

Anxiety attacks can look different when you are analyzing different people. The signs also change over time. The most common symptoms when you experience an anxiety attack are:

An anxiety attack and a panic attack are somewhat similar but not the same. If you practice meditation for anxiety and stress regularly, you will get over the problem soon.

Causes of anxiety

There is no exact report as to why anxiety happens. However, indeed, it is not a result of a particular dysfunction. Anxiety is a combination of factors that become dysfunctional at the same time. The factors include all kinds of environmental, genetic, and brain chemistry factors. Certain sections of the brain help to control fear and distress, and anxiety restricts such functions.

Researchers are looking more into this disorder and are trying to develop some facts that will put the light on anxiety better. Meditation for anxiety is the best way to deal with the problem.

How does anxiety affect your body and health?

As we said earlier, anxiety and stress are part of life always. It only becomes a problem when anxiety becomes a chronic disorder, and you lose control over yourself.

So, when your life’s quality starts deteriorating and you start experiencing severe behavioral changes, you know something is wrong. Anxiety and its symptoms can also have serious effects on your body and health. The following are the most common effects of anxiety on your body and health:

1. GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder

GAD is anxiety and stress for no particular reason behind it. The ADAA or the Anxiety and Depression Association of America assume that about 7 million American adults go through a severe anxiety disorder every year.

The Institute ADAA says that any stress or anxiety that lasts for 6 months or more raises a concern, resulting in a chronic disorder. So, this will not just disturb your daily activities, but also your life as a whole. It takes time to develop, and it is even more difficult to get rid of it. We suggest that you practice meditation for anxiety regularly and not ignore any signs or symptoms you experience.

2. Affects the nervous system

If you are facing prolonged stress and anxiety, it may now affect your brain. The exposure will result in the release of stress hormones from the brain continuously. Moreover, this activity will increase anxiety disorder signs and symptoms, such as headaches, depression, and dizziness.

When you are nervous or anxious, your brain releases a high amount of stress hormones and chemicals. Moreover, these hormones and chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline will somehow force you to respond to the anxiety threats.

The positive part is that occasional anxiousness and stress may help you achieve your goals better. They inflict a sense of challenge, and you work harder to achieve your goal. However, if you experience continued symptoms of anxiety, it may adversely affect your health. The first and foremost effect will be excessive weight gain. To keep these problems at bay, you should practice 20 minutes of meditation for anxiety.

3. Heart problems

The major problem of anxiety disorders is that they affect the cardiovascular system very badly. Major anxiety may result in breathlessness and an increase in heart rates. Moreover, anxiety attacks can also cause chest pains and palpitations.

You are now at a high risk of all heart problems and high blood pressure. The bad news is that if you are already suffering from heart problems, anxiety may worsen and result in coronary issues.

4. Affects the digestive and excretory system

Anxiety disorders also affect the digestive and excretory system adversely. You may start experiencing stomach aches, digestive problems, diarrhea and nausea along with a severe loss of appetite. It may come as a surprise to you that anxiety is a major factor behind bowel infection.

Unfortunately, if you develop such infections you will have to go through IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. IBS is a major reason for more constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting. Meditation for anxiety is an ideal way to eradicate such problems from the roots by getting rid of anxiety.

5. Problems in the immune system

As we already know, that you may lose your fight stress response due to severe anxiety. Now you will experience an adrenaline and cortisol rush constantly. Moreover, this function is directly related to the functioning of your immune system.

Anxiousness will cause breathlessness and higher pulse rates. Although these two seem to be problems, the good part is that your brain receives more oxygen now, and you will respond better to a complicated situation now.

So, this is a boost to your immunity system. However, if the same function continues to happen for half a year or more, it is no more a good thing. In this case, you need to consult with someone.

If there are repeated anxiety attacks, likely, your body and mind will not function normally anymore. This is the worst situation in which your immune system completely surrenders, and you become so vulnerable and weak.

Your body and mind will not have the strength to cope with even the most minor allergies and diseases. Anxiety overpowers the body so badly that even regular vaccination cannot make things better. You can try some of the guided meditation for anxiety relief in such cases.

6. Respiratory System

Anxiety causes shallow and rapid breathing. If you are already suffering from COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, you are at a higher risk. You may also have to be in the hospital due to complications resulting from anxiety. Anxiety also triggers Asthma and other breathing problems.

7. Some other problems

Apart from the main issues that we discussed right above, there are a few other problems that you may face because of anxiety. They are:

Headaches
Social isolation
Muscle tension
Depression
Insomnia

If you have PTSD or Post-traumatic stress disorder, you may experience painful flashbacks. You will start reliving the trauma that causes you anxiety over and over again. Besides, this causes irritation and frustration and also emotional isolation. Other common signs are nightmares and constant sadness.

How does meditation reduce anxiety?

Meditation for anxiety is the best way to reduce anxiety from the roots. Meditation is much more than just de-stressing or calming down. Meditation and anxiety go hand in hand. Meditation works way more for anxiety than any pills or medicines. The following are some of the benefits of meditation to reduce stress and anxiety.

1. Emotional control

Meditation for anxiety helps us to calm down when we are practicing it. Do you think the effect lasts longer than the session? Yes, it does if you practice meditation regularly. You will become a more sorted person, and dealing with everyday problems will become easier for you, as per research on a group of people who took part in a 2-month meditation program.

After that, experts started their study on the emotional responses of the chosen people. The report says that after the meditation session, in every person, the amygdala or the emotional section of the brain worked better. So, this study report proves that emotional control lasts even when you are not meditating. However, to achieve such heights, you need to meditate regularly and with a lot of dedication.

2. Enhances compassion

One of the benefits of anxiety meditation techniques is that it makes people more virtuous and compassionate. Moreover, this benefit has been put to the test time and time again. An amazing study was done on a few people. So, this was an undercover test of compassion.

A stage was set, and two people sat there. Next, a third person enters the stage with crutches and seems to be in a lot of pain. The other two people have no idea that they are also actors, and they do not bother to help.

However, when the other two people were put through the same test, they went up to the disabled person and helped him. The second pair were the ones who have been practicing meditation for a long time. So, this proves how meditation triggers compassionate feelings in people.

3. Structural alterations in the brain

Anxiety occurs when the brain releases excessive stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. However, meditation for anxiety is such a useful technique that can change your brain’s structure within just 2 months.

A before and after the test was conducted on a group of 16 people. Pictures of their brains were captured before they started meditating and again after 2 months of daily meditation sessions.

Now, the hippocampus is that section of the brain that is associated with memory and learning. The gray matter and hippocampus go hand in hand. After meditating for 2 months, each of the 16 people’s brain functioning was put on test. The same result came out, proving that a prolonged period of meditation can magically increase the density of gray matter in the brain.

4. Pain relief

It is a fact that people who practice meditation become stronger than others. They feel lesser pain and are more resistant as compared to the ones who have never practiced meditation. Pain and stress are the main causes of anxiety and depression. If you can get over these, you are 50% successful already.

5. Cognition acceleration

How do you feel when people say that you are intelligent and prompt during situations? We all feel great with such compliments, but things are not so easy. Meditation for anxiety is the best technique to accelerate cognition in your brain.

Even if beginners can do about 15-20 minutes of meditation every day, they can receive magical effects in just a week. Guided meditation for anxiety and panic is also a great way to enhance the acceleration of brain functioning. Improvement rates have been noted by almost 70% just over a week. Just imagine the rate if you practice meditation for about a year.

6. More creative

Since meditation calms you down and reduces stress levels and anxiety, you can focus more on your passions. People who practice meditation regularly are usually more creative than the ones who never do. Mindfulness meditation for anxiety is the best when it comes to stress reduction. You become more attentive and focused after meditation, and thus your creativity gets all the exposure it requires.

7. More focus

As already said, meditation is the key to concentration, focus, and attentiveness. It reduces stress and anxiety, and you can stay calm. It would help if you encouraged children to practice meditation and see the behavioral changes in them. In most cases, meditation proves to be extremely helpful in children’s mental development, and they become sharper.

Children who practice meditation are more sorted, healthy, and more meritorious when it comes to academics. They are extremely self-motivated, have a positive approach towards life, and usually do better for themselves as they grow up.

8. More efficiency

Since meditation makes you more cognitive, you are also likely to become more efficient if you practice meditation regularly. Meditation for anxiety proves that people who practice it regularly can multi-task in the office and are more efficient at whatever they do.

5 Meditation methods to calm anxiety

It is always great to practice meditation for anxiety even if you do not have the exact environment, the complete setup, and the meditation music playing in the background. If you ever experience anxiety or panic attacks, meditation for anxiety attacks will play the role of a lifesaver. The 5 main methods of meditation to calm your anxiety levels are:

1. Concentrate on one thing

If you feel that you are in tension or a panic situation, move away from the place. Now take some time off from the situation and try to divert your mind. The best way of doing that is by focusing on one fixed point. For example, you are on a bus full of passengers, and you are feeling anxious constantly. Just try to look at one thing, such as a mark on your hand or the dial of your watch.

Stare at one thing and keep staring at it for some time constantly. So, this meditation method can be practiced anywhere and is the easiest way to calm yourself down.

2. Repeat your mantra

Mantras are the revelations or words which we repeat during meditation. It is not mandatory to use a specific intricate word such as an ohm. You can use any word of your choice which you feel motivates you and calms you down. Keep chanting that again and again. So, whenever you are in an emergency that may lead to an anxiety attack, think about how you practice meditation for anxiety at home.

Similarly, you keep repeating your meditation word continuously. It does not matter if you cannot say it out loud in a public place. The word aims to keep your focus towards your meditation point.

3. Meditation for anxiety and depression

Meditate whenever and wherever you are feeling low and stressed. Meditation does not always need a time and place. It is a simple process of diverting your mind from the present situation and de-stressing yourself. You can do it at home or work, or anywhere else. You can also do meditation while you are sitting or even lying down. There is no hard and fast rule, so the more you meditate, the better it is.

4. Focus on breathing

When you want your mind to be away from all other thoughts during meditation, you must know the proper method to meditate. While you are practicing meditation for anxiety disorder, make sure that you de-focus on all other things that are crowding your brain.

You aim to focus on the portion between your nostrils and upper lips. We are talking about the breathing point, and putting your focus here means you are only thinking about your breathing. During this time, it is normal that your mind will be full of other thoughts, but your objective is not to let the other thoughts divert your attention.

5. Keep away bad thoughts

Music works well when you are meditating. You will get a lot of guided meditation for anxiety and depression apps online. Just download one of these and play their meditation tracks. They are soothing to the ears and help to keep away all bad thoughts from your mind. Meditation is about being positive, and there should be no space for any negative thoughts in the process.

The secret to fighting stress and anxiety

Anxiety and stress are common factors for people nowadays. Everyone has busy schedules and no time for anything other than work. Moreover, this is building mental pressure continuously, and most of us do not know how to cope with this. There is no such secret to fight stress and anxiety that we may not know. Let us list some of them here.

1. Exercise

Exercise and yoga are two of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety. It may sound a little weird, but physical stress in certain ways will indeed lead to a reduction of mental stress. For the best results, you need to exercise daily.

It is a fact that people who participate in physical activities regularly are happier and are less likely to develop anxiety. Exercising every day reduces the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol in the body. You will sleep better and be more confident in your skin if you exercise regularly.

2. Natural supplements

Some natural ingredients work tremendously well against anxiety and stress. These have been in use from ancient times and are part of all the Ayurveda and Unani books. Such ingredients are not always present in your kitchen, but you can purchase them easily. Some of these supplements are:

Lemon balm
Kava kava
Omega-3 acids
Valerian
Green tea
Ashwagandha

Click here to check more about natural supplements.

3. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is gaining popularity now everywhere in the world. People are getting knowledge about the benefits of essential oil more than ever. Aromatherapy works wonders when it comes to stress and anxiety. Some of the most soothing perfumes to keep anxiety and stress away are-

Lavender
Geranium
Rose
Orange flower
Vetiver
Ylang
Bergamot
Sandalwood
Chamomile
Frankincense
Neroli

4. Reduce caffeine consumption

Excessive caffeine consumption may lead to anxiety and insomnia. Caffeine is a substance that is present in coffee, green tea, and other beverages too. While, on the one hand, caffeine retains memory and is great for weight loss, excessive consumption may lead to adverse effects. The negative effects of caffeine include jitteriness, nausea, irritability, and sleeplessness.

5. Spend time with loved ones

In our busy lives, what we leave behind is spending good time with our loved ones. Try to take days off from your schedule and spend some time with your family and friends. You are making them happy, and as a result, you are happy too.

You are in a win-win situation if you do this regularly. On the one hand, you are getting breaks from work, and on the other, your family is also happy and content. There is no happiness greater than that of our loved ones.

The science behind meditation for anxiety

Anxiety is an outcome of anxious and stressful thoughts. After you think about something, the anxiety remains in your mind for some more time. It is scientifically a hormonal rush, and this takes time to fade away even after the thought has faded away from your mind.

Anxiety can be continuous if you keep thinking about the same thing over and over again. We are talking about thoughts that are triggering the flow of cortisol or adrenaline in the body. The simulation’s time frame depends on how seriously you think about something or how it affects your mind. While this goes on in mind, it creates a short-term stressful situation and gives way to long-term anxiety. Moreover, such stress and anxiety result in phobias.

The science of meditation for anxiety helps us to keep our minds away from such triggering thoughts. Practicing meditation for anxiety lowers and controls the secretion of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. So, meditation makes us calmer, happier, positive, and helps us lead anxiety-free life.

Final thoughts

There are several types of meditation, and one of the most popular is meditation for anxiety. Almost every alternative person, including small children, suffers from stress and anxiety nowadays.

There are times when you won’t even realize that you are going through anxiety. For that, you need to focus on yourself and understand if you are experiencing any symptoms of anxiety. If the answer is yes, meditation is your resolution.

FAQ

Can meditation reduce anxiety?

Several pieces of research have come out with one result that says meditation can reduce anxiety significantly. Patients who suffer from depression and anxiety had got magical results when they practiced meditation. It is a fact that mindfulness meditation for anxiety can reduce stress and anxiety from everyday work.

Why is meditation good for anxiety?

If you practice meditation every day, it will help you calm down more. As a result, you will become less judgmental and observe the world more positively. Some people experience generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It will reduce stressful thoughts and make you calmer, more focused, and balanced.

How often should you meditate for anxiety?

As a beginner, you should start with at least five minutes. Mostly, experts suggest at least a 15 minutes session every day. However, 5 minutes of meditation is also extremely beneficial if you do it regularly. If you think about how regularly you should practice meditation, it is every day. It would help if you meditated every day, and you need to make it your habit.

Is Headspace good for anxiety?

The Headspace app is very effective for people suffering from anxiety and depression. The meditation sessions in Headspace are designed especially to deal with stressed people. For the people who are not being able to deal with all the anxiety, Headspace sessions can work like magic.

How do you calm down anxiety?

There are several anxiety meditation techniques you should follow to de-stress yourself and get rid of anxiety. Some of the tips you can follow are focusing on breathing, not focusing on disturbing things, admitting when you are angry or anxious, challenging yourself to become calm, and always expressing your feelings.

Is calm or Headspace better?

Calm has a huge collection of music, while Headspace has just a few sleep tracks. Headspace is a popular application, but people enjoy the tracks that Calm has to offer more.

What are good meditation apps?

The top meditation app’s latest list includes Insight Timer, 10% Happier, YogaGlo, Calm, Enso, and Headspace.

Is Headspace the best meditation app?

Yes, Headspace is the best meditation app for perusers. It has better-structured courses. The service is more personalized, and people can follow the routines anywhere. Also, Headspace is the best and most comfortable application for beginners.

What is the best meditation app for anxiety?

There are quite a few good meditation apps for anxiety, out of which Headspace and Calm are the best. The other apps include Acupressure, Rooted, Sleep Time, and more.

Is Calm App free after 7 days?

No, the Calm app is chargeable at $60 per year after completing the 7-day trial.

What meditation apps are free?

Meditation for anxiety becomes easier when you have access to a few mindfulness meditation apps. For example, Headspace, Insight Timer, and Aura are free apps.

In Lifestyle September 10, 2019

How To Do Meditation For Sleep And Healing

Guide to meditation for sleep and healing

After dealing with all the stress at work, you love to get back home and let your hair down. A hearty meal and some good sleep can make you ready for the next day. Sleeping is essential as it helps to rejuvenate the body and replenish our energy.

It goes hand-in-hand with healthy food and physical exercise. The lack of any of these may affect your body in a bad way.

However, with the hectic schedules of people all around the world, we have all become sleep-deprived. The development of technology has also taken our sleep away. We spend late hours in the night watching movies or playing games on the computer. As a result, we wake up tired and remain like that for the rest of the day.

Eventually, our bodies develop sleep disorders such as insomnia. The prevention of such problems lies in the techniques of meditation for sleep and healing. This article is everything you need to know about meditation for good sleep, the benefits, and how we should do it.

Why is sleep important?

There are so many reasons that can justify the benefits of good sleep. Here are some of them.

1. Prevents weight gain

Why do people say that night time meditation for sleep and healing works like magic on the body? This is because, as per several research reports, sleep-deprivation is directly proportionate to excessive weight gain. People who do not sleep enough are often at a higher risk of obesity than people who get enough sleep.

The exact reason for weight gain due to lesser sleep is still not 100% clear. However, scientists are working on it. Meditation for sleep and weight loss is an extremely effective remedy to the problem of sleep-deprivation. So, it would help if you slept well to be in good shape.

2. Calorie intake

Studies suggest that individuals who do not sleep enough usually eat more. They have a bigger appetite compared to people who sleep enough. Not getting enough sleep disturbs the fluctuation levels of hormones in the body. The appetite hormones, in turn, start behaving abnormally and cause hunger at odd times.

There is a substance in the body known as ‘ghrelin’ and another known as ‘leptin.’ Ghrelin increases appetite, whereas leptin suppresses appetite. When the hormonal regulation goes off, ghrelin in the body increases, and leptin reduces. It would help if you tried meditation for sleep deprivation to come out of this problem.

3. Improves productivity and concentration

Good sleep improves several sections of brain functioning. For example, sleeping well means an improvement in cognition, performance, productivity, and concentration. The combination of all of these goes offbeat if you do not get enough sleep.

Experts researched this topic with the help of a bunch of interns. They were divided into two groups, out of which one was told to work traditionally and the other in a modern way. The interns working in the traditional section kept working for 24 hours with almost no sleep.

On the other hand, another group worked comparatively less and got enough sleep. As per reports, the first group was making more mistakes at work than the second one.

Moreover, sleep deprivation can cause the brain to transfer to a zone in which you feel like you are under the influence of alcohol. Sleeping well can increase concentration and enhance productivity irrespective of your age. You can listen to meditation for sleep music for better sleep.

4. Good for athletes

People who are more into sports value proper sleep than anything else. Sleeping well improves athletic performance. For example, if basketball players sleep well, they feel fresher on the court the next day. They can play more efficiently, accurately, and better. Good sleep also leads to a more peaceful mind, which is extremely important for players.

Older adults cannot even function properly if they do not get some good sleep at night. Such habits lead to problems such as slower walking, difficulty performing daily activities on your own. Older adults should try best-guided sleep meditation to sleep well and work better.

5. Lesser risk of heart problems

Your sleep duration and quality may affect your body severely on a lot of occasions. Sleep-deprivation may disturb the balance of some of the brain functions too. You are at a higher risk of chronic diseases or heart problems if you do not sleep well.

A normal adult should sleep for at least 7-8 hours to fulfill the body’s requirements. People who are already suffering from heart disorders must sleep enough to prevent the chances of stroke.

6. Preventing Diabetes

As per the study, two men slept for just 4 hours for 7 days at a stretch, and there were signs of prediabetes developing in their bodies. These symptoms were not seen just a week later when they slept enough.

Experts claim that lack of sleep can highly influence blood sugar development and type II diabetes in a human body. This is because the insulin levels in your body function abnormally, and there is a problem with glucose metabolism. This is one reason why doctors suggest good sleep for every diabetes patient.

7. Prevents depression

People who are suffering from depression often report sleep disorders. Lack of sleep can also encourage people to attempt suicide. Not sleeping well causes more anxiety, depression, and stress. You are always upset and cannot participate in activities with other people. Meditation for sleep and anxiety can help cure such problems.

8. Improves immunity

If you do not sleep well, your immune system is going to get dysfunctional. People who sleep less are at a higher risk of immunity problems such as cold and flu. If you sleep enough, you do not have to worry much because you are healthier than the rest.

If you are suffering from mild fever or continuous flu, you need proper sleep besides medical treatment. Read about east Asian culture and how they meditate to stay healthy.

9. Inflammation

Not sleeping well can affect the cells in your body severely. People who have Crohn’s disease should sleep well, or there is a high chance that they might relapse frequently. You are encouraging cell-damage in your body if you do not sleep well.

Inflammation in the digestive system is the main cause of cell damage. People who are suffering from digestion problems for a long time should maintain good sleeping habits.

10. Makes you a friendlier person

Sleeping well at night means you will feel fresh the next morning. You feel energetic and cheerful when you sleep well. This is when you behave nicely with people. Thus, being social and cheerful has a direct relationship with proper sleeping habits.

If you do not get enough sleep, you are likely to stay cranky and angry all the time. Little things can irritate you if you are not in a good mood. You can try to do meditation for sleep and healing to keep your mind calm and sleep well.

The dangers of not getting enough sleep

We already know that not getting enough sleep can make us foggy and grumpy. But do you know that there are more serious effects sleep-deprivation can cause? Here are a few points that will tell you about some of the most surprising side-effects on the body due to lack of sleep.

1. Accidents

History proves that lack of sleep has been the reason behind major disasters such as the Three-Mile Island Nuclear Disaster of 1979, the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster of 1986, and the fatal Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. There are so many other examples of such serious disasters caused due to sleep-deprivation.

People who feel sleepy during work hours are prone to frequent accidents that occur repeatedly. They also take more sick leave per accident and are thus less productive at work. In the USA, as per reports, every year, 100,000 auto crashes take place, and there are cases of almost 1,500 deaths in a year.

The main cause of these accidents is fatigue or drowsiness. The victims are mostly within the age of 25 years. Therefore, the lack of sleep is one of the most serious public hazards.

2. Concentration problems

Sleep has a direct relationship with the brain and its functions. Not getting enough sleep may lead to problems in understanding and concentration. Learning and thinking is a continuous cognitive process that takes place in the brain.

Lack of sleep disrupts this process, and you may face a problem in remembering things. Sleep helps in consolidating memories in mind. So, if you do not sleep well, you may not learn or remember properly.

3. Major health problems

Regular sleep-deprivation may cause several serious health problems. Some of which include-

Heart problems
Diabetes and blood sugar
Heart attacks and strokes
High blood pressure
Irregular heartbeat
Heart failure

Another major problem that is a result of lack of sleep is insomnia. It is a typical sleep disorder in which people find it difficult to fall asleep or get sound sleep.

4. Sexual problems

Lack of sleep leads to lower libidos. People who do not get enough sleep lack interest in sex. The main reason is that they are so tired and stressed out that they do not have any energy left. Other factors that affect such behavior are sleepiness and anxiety.

Sleep-deprivation leads to another major problem, which is sleep apnea. This problem is more common in men. Men who suffer from sleep apnea have acute respiratory problems. As a result of this, these men have a low testosterone level. It means that they secrete abnormally less testosterone at night.

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5. Depression

Sleep disorders and lack of sleep over a prolonged period can become the cause of severe depression. A 2005 poll report in America claimed that people usually suffer from sleep-deprivation due to anxiety or depression.

Insomnia is the main disorder that is a result of sleep-deprivation. It is directly proportional to depression. Another 2007 poll report in America suggested that people who have insomnia may develop depression very easily for a long time. Insomnia is the most common symptom of depression.

Experts say that insomnia and depression are interdependent. Sleep-deprivation causes insomnia, and people with insomnia cannot sleep well. However, working on insomnia can help you get rid of depression. You should try mindfulness meditation for sleep if you are suffering from depression or anxiety.

6. Aging skin

The initial symptoms of insomnia are puffy eyes and sallow skin, but the symptoms may increase with the number of days. If you do not get enough sleep continuously, it means that the symptoms are serious if you are suffering from chronic sleep-deprivation.

Your skin will look dull, and your face will develop fine lines, and there will be dark circles around your eyes. Cortisol is a stress hormone. The secretion of cortisol increases when you do not get enough sleep.

Cortisol, in turn, damages skin collagen, which normally keeps your skin elastic and smooth. The same is the case with the growth hormones in our body. Lack of sleep releases more amounts of this hormone. For young people, this hormone helps in their growth. However, for older people, it increases weight and thickens the skin.

7. Forgetfulness

If you want a sharper memory, you need to sleep more. People who sleep less are reportedly more inattentive and also find it harder to remember things. Long term memories are a bigger problem with such people. Sleep-deprivation leads to a zone of drunkenness, and people feel lost in such situations.

8. Excessive weight gain

Sleep-deprivation has a direct relationship with excessive weight gain. Reports suggest that people who sleep less usually have a larger appetite and can eat more. This means you will develop obesity over some time.

A 2004 research report claims that people who do not get enough sleep for about 7-8 hours are at a higher risk of obesity than others.

9. Death risk

a study was executed on a group of British civil servants and their sleep patterns. Experts wanted to find out how if sleeping had a connection with the mortality rate. Reports that were published in 2007 that people who do not sleep for an average of 7 hours per day are at a death risk.

These people are closer to death irrespective of the cause of it. Cardiovascular problems are the most common cause of death in these cases.

10. Inability to judge situations

Lack of sleep makes us inattentive and also impairs our capabilities of judging people or situations. We lose the sense of interpretation of situations properly. The worst thing is that these people cannot judge how sleep-deprivation is affecting them.

Today’s world, everyone is in a hurry and sleeping less is a sign of honor for some. But if you judge this aspect and come out with the understanding that less sleep is fine, you are completely wrong. If you feel that you are used to sleeping less, then you are also wrong. No one can ever get used to sleep-deprivation.

How meditation for sleep can help you?

Meditation is gaining a lot of popularity nowadays. People are getting to know about the benefits of meditation. It is a habit and a process that helps you channelize your thoughts towards the correct direction and increases concentration.

In sleep meditation, the main objective is to fight with sleep-disorders such as insomnia and apnea. People meditate as per their requirements, and the following are some of the most common benefits.

1. Stress relief

This is one of the most important reasons for which people practice meditation. As we all know, physical or mental stress can raise the secretion of the stress hormone or cortisol in our bodies. They, in turn, produce chemicals such as cytokines that promote inflammation in the body.

The major effects of such reactions in the body give way to sleep- deprivation, focus issues, anxiety, fatigue, and high blood pressure.

As per expert reports, mindfulness meditation for sleep is the best way to eliminate such problems. Meditation has worked like magic for a lot of people who were complaining of extreme stress. Besides, meditation helps to cure other disorders related to stress as well. These include improper bowel movements, fibromyalgia, and traumatic stress.

2. Anxiety control

If you want to control anxiety, think less, and take less stress. This is the main mantra to stay happy. There are various anxiety symptoms,y such as phobias, panic attacks, social anxiety, OCD, and paranoid thoughts. Yoga is a kind of meditation that helps with all kinds of anxiety issues. You can also practice meditation for sleep and healing for the best results.

The study was conducted on a group of 18 people three years post their meditation sessions. The result shows that most of the individuals were still practicing meditation and were much happier. They had great control over their anxiety levels and were leading sorted lives. Meditation benefits people who work in a stressful environment for long hours too.

3. Emotional improvement

Meditation works as a huge positive influence on people’s minds. It can change a person’s perspective and outlook towards life. Almost all the research done in this aspect has come up with the same result.

All experts say that practicing meditation can prevent depression, and hence a person becomes more emotionally stable. As you already know, stress and anxiety result in cortisol disorder in our bodies.

The body also releases other toxic substances. This is the reason that people who meditate stay healthier than everyone else. Several electronic reactions take place in the human brain. Meditation helps in regulating these.

4. Self-awareness

Meditation will help you understand yourself better. This helps you to become a better human being. You can also relate to the people around you in a much better manner. On the one hand, other forms of the same aspect will tell you about harming yourself and self-defeating.

Meditation will teach you how to control your mind and stay patient. This is a more constructive way of dealing with adverse situations.

5. Retains memory

People have a problem with remembering things as they grow old. Read some of the free guided meditation for sleep tips for help regarding this. It doesn’t matter how old you are if your memory is sharp. There is a process of yoga known as ‘Kirtan Kriya.’

In this, you have to chant a mantra continuously with a specific finger movement for concentration. This helps to improve older people’s ability to do all the daily work with ease.

Meditation works like magic for patients who have Dementia, which is also a disease related to memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease. Besides, it is a great stress-relief technique for people who are around a person suffering from such serious disorders.

Healthy and good sleep without drugs

There is a misconception about insomnia, and several people feel that a person suffering from this disorder does not sleep at all. That is not the case at all. the main symptoms of insomnia are the following:

Finding it difficult to fall asleep
Interrupted sleep
Waking up several times at night
Waking up early in the morning

Side-effects

You must have heard people boast about how they can manage by sleeping just for 5-6 hours every day. However, this act of heroism is dangerous for your health. An average of 7-9 hours of sleep is a must for an adult. The major side-effects of insomnia are:

You will feel sleepy during the day. Besides, you will be in a bad mood, irritated, and cranky for the rest of the time.
You will gain a lot of weight, and losing it is very difficult.
You will face concentration problems and will not be able to work efficiently.
Chronic disorders
Weak immunity system
Anxiety, depression, and mental problems

There are several supplements and herbal products sold in the market. Sellers promote such things by making big claims. This can work well for some people too. However, we would suggest that you do not consume prescribed pills regularly. There are some medicines for sleep that, in turn, can harm your body very badly.

Just practice meditation for sleep and try to maintain a few other things for sound sleep. You should avoid rich and oily food at night. Stay away from mobile phones and computers a couple of hours before you sleep too. If you follow all of the meditation techniques for less sleep, you will not need any medicine at all.

Simple techniques to fall asleep

A good night’s sleep is essential, and it helps our body and mind work properly. Some people can fall asleep very easily, and some people struggle to get sound sleep. There are a few simple tips to learn for some good sleep.

Keep the temperature of your room soothing and low.
Practice all the meditation for sleep techniques and see which one works best for you. Start doing yoga for peace and relaxation.
Fix the time to go to bed and wake up as well
Try to wake up early and go to bed early.
Stop using alarms if possible.
Don’t sleep in the day time.
Listen to some meditation for sleep music.
Aromatherapy is a magical remedy for all sleep disorders.
Limit your caffeine consumption
Think about good stuff before sleeping

How to meditate for sleep?

If you feel that your mind is restless and unable to sleep at night, meditation for sleep is what you need. It is a mind-calming practice that can be done during the daytime and also before going to bed.

The objective of sleep meditation is to get rid of fatigue, stress, and insomnia. You must know that regular physical exercise strengthens and relaxes muscle and body stress. Meditation is similarly an exercise of the mind and soul. It relaxes your mind and helps you to sleep better at night.

A fact about meditation is that we try to calm our thoughts, but the practice has more effects on the body. Meditation creates psychological changes which already takes you to the stage of early sleep. Proper bedtime meditation means that you are awake during the process, but your mind is already relaxed and asleep.

It sounds like magic, but there is logic too. During this mental exercise, your heart will relax, and your pulse will slow down. Also, the cortisol in the body decreases, and your blood pressure drops to normal too. There are some different styles of sleep meditation. You can try everything and then decide which one is correct for you.

Mindfulness meditation

This is the most popular and also the common style of meditation. Mindfulness meditation for sleep means you have to focus on your body and breathing and nothing else around you. as you lie down on the bed, you will feel the surface under you and your breathing during this meditation.

It is possible that during this time, your mind will wander somewhere else. It is completely alright, but you must make sure that you do not let go of your thoughts. Bring yourself back to your initial position whenever you lose concentration.

Concentration meditation

This is an easier version and mainly done for improving concentration. As you lie down on the bed, focus on one point. It can be a hook on the wall or a wall lamp. Keep your thoughts in one place, and do not look away.

You can keep chanting a line or a mantra continuously. For beginners who are trying night time meditation for sleep, this is the best style to start with. Focusing on one thing helps to relax the mind completely.

Guided meditation

This style of meditation cannot be done alone. A person practices it and a guide who will help by supervising and regulating the whole process. The instructor will start with the lowest part of the body and move upwards slowly, concentrating on one body part at a time.

Free guided meditation for sleep also includes mobile applications that feature virtual instructors who will tell you to imagine beautiful natural scenery. You can also do imagery meditation in a group.

Guided techniques behind sleep meditation

If you think yoga works well for you, then why wait? Now you have several options for guided meditation over so many platforms. There is a trainer or instructor, and you have to do as he says. For this, it is not necessary that you all the techniques of meditation.

The instructor can guide you personally or through recordings, mixed media, music, videos, and much more. As you listen to the guides, your subconscious mind triggers and reacts to these. Your subconscious mind is the actual moderator of all your social and emotional aspects.

For example, creativity, self-empowerment, self-improvement, and healing. There are several apps, such as Headspace, that can virtually guide you with sleep meditation. You can also follow YouTube guided sleep meditation videos to do the process on your own.

The following are a few regular techniques that you can follow to fall asleep easily.

1. Counting

As you lie down on the bed, close your eyes and start counting backward from 100. Your mind may deviate, and you may also lose track of the counting. Do not worry and restart at 100 once again. You do not need to feel that you are going wrong as you are losing track. It is just a way to focus, and nothing else matters.

2. Visualization

For this, you need to focus on a single thing. It can be someone’s photograph on the wall or a painting, or even a candle flame. Make sure everything that you choose to focus on has a soothing effect on your eyes.

For example, the paintings should preferably be in soothing colors such as green fields or the night sky. Now you have to focus on your present thoughts and restrict your mind from diverting away from the picture.

3. Mantra

You can create a personal mantra or follow a guided meditation for their mantra. Concentrate on this particular phrase and keep chanting it repeatedly. It can be any line but make sure you do not give your brain the scope to think about anything else.

4. Pranayama

This is the “life force” technique of sleep meditation. In this, you have to focus on your breathing. However, the breathing pattern is different, and you have to inhale and exhale both through your nostrils. This creates a cyclic activity in the brain, which, as a result, helps to clear all other thoughts. You will now feel relaxed and fall asleep easily.

5. Alternate breathing

This is like a part of the previous Pranayama process. We call this breathing with alternate nostrils. You have to close your left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand. Now inhale with your right nostril till the count of 4. Repeat the same process with the other nostril and left hand. Do it for 5-6 minutes before bed.

Final thoughts

Meditation and yoga heal the body and mind from within. Practicing meditation for a prolonged period will change the kind of person you are. You will be more at peace with yourself and with everyone else around you. Starting a journey towards peace indeed sounds difficult, but you will acquire everything soon. This article is everything you need to know about meditation for sleep.

FAQ

How can I meditate to sleep?

Meditation is a great way to sleep healthy, and there is a whole process that you must follow.

Lay on the bed with your face up and mark all those points in the body that touches the bed.
Take 4-5 deep breaths.
Close your eyes and raise your eyebrows in a surprised expression and relax again.
Inhale and shrug your shoulders. Now exhale and relax.
Inhale, squint your eyes and wrinkle your nose and relax again.

Does meditation help with sleep?

Mindful meditation is a practice that helps to calm the mind and focus only on your breathing. It reduces stress and helps treat insomnia in a lot of people. This meditation helps keep your mind in the present state to not think about the past or future. Relax and let go of things that disturb you. This will help you to sleep well.

Does headspace help you sleep?

Headspace is designed in the form of an app that helps people with sleep disorders and insomnia. The app highlights free guided meditation for sleep, sleep music, and the sounds of nature. These can calm you down and result in a good night’s sleep.

What to do when you can’t sleep?

You should keep in mind a few things if you want to sleep well at night. For example, try to sleep in a comfortable and darkroom. You should make sure there is no noise in your bedroom and, of course, keep your bed clean. Try to stay away from digital devices and do something relaxing at least half an hour before sleeping. Drinking caffeinated drinks can disturb your sleep too.

How do you fall asleep in 30 seconds?

To get to sleep within half a minute, you should inhale for about 4 seconds and then hold the breath for 7 seconds. Now exhale through the mouth for about 8 seconds. Counting numbers in particular patterns also works like magic. It helps to relax your mind and body, and there you can fall asleep within 30 seconds.

Why am I not sleeping through the night?

You will not sleep through the night if you have a sleep disorder such as insomnia. It can result from various factors such as medication side-effects, jet-lag, excessive consumption of caffeine, or too much stress. Depression and anxiety are other mental or emotional disorders that can affect your sleep.

Why do I keep waking at 3 am?

If you wake up at 3 am continuously every night, it means there can be a problem with the flow of energy in your body. There is an energy meridian that passes through the lungs and reaches the part of your brain that can sense sadness. Try some deep, slow breathing, or do some chanting softly. This will calm you down and help you to fall asleep again.

How can I stay asleep the whole night?

It would help if you had a sound sleep to not wake up at night in the middle. Try meditation for sleep, which works like magic. Do not think about anything that will excite you or make you angry. Try to listen to some soft and soothing music and think about good things. Avoid rich and oily foods or caffeine at night. These react inside the body and can make you feel uneasy.

Does tossing and turning count as sleep?

Tossing and turning are signs of distraction when you are trying to sleep well. These activities cause interruption, and you may wake up in a bad mood. Not sleeping well makes you feel irritated and stressed throughout the day. Practice meditation for sleep and anxiety to resolve this problem.

What are the warning signs of sleep apnea?

The most common warning signs of sleep apnea include the following-

Snoring loudly
Waking frequently at night
Paused breathing
Headache in the morning
Gasping or choking sounds
Insomnia
Fatigue during the daytime

Why am I kicking in my sleep?

Activities such as punching or kicking are a result of a sleep disorder. Such problems are usually a result of excessive smoking, use of pesticides, or head injuries. REM, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, is a sleep disorder in which there is an imbalance in muscle functioning. This results in people reacting or acting out their dreams in a state of sound sleep.

How do you not toss and turn at night?

To avoid sleep interruption, maintain a constant pattern. This means that you should go to bed immediately when you are feeling sleepy. You should also fix the time at which you will go to bed and the constant time at which you wake up. Try to relax and calm down your thoughts before bed and practice some night time meditation for sleep.

In Lifestyle August 31, 2019

How to do meditation for peace

Your Complete Guide to Meditation for Peace

Do you feel tired and exhausted after you come back home after a long day? If you are facing excessive problems regarding stress management and even the common activities such as music or sleep is not helping, you need something extra.

You need to start practicing meditation and you will see the magical difference within just a few days. Meditating is not any rocket science and anyone can do it easily.

We do not meditate to change our personality or become a better person. We meditate to find peace within ourselves. It is a process of awareness and achievement of a healthier perspective sense. Meditation will teach you to stay positive even in the worst situations. You will stop being judgmental, and as a result, you will understand situations and people in a more neutral manner.

If we talk about the rich East Asian cultures, meditation has been of utmost importance since times of early Buddhism. It is not necessary that all Buddhists are monks and they meditate every day. However, every Buddhist knows that their religion and its practice has a 3-fold structure.

It is based on 3 extremely important aspects which are morality, wisdom, and concentration. The third is the most important out of all the three but all of these are mutually indispensable and supportive. In this article, we will discuss everything about meditation starting from the correct way of practicing it to the different benefits of it.

Steps of meditation

For starters, let us go through the easy tips and steps of meditation. The following are the most basic steps for beginners.

1. Make it your habit

Before you start meditating, decide on a few things including the time of the day you are going to meditate and the place you will practice it in. You need to commit to yourself that amidst all the work that you need to finish throughout the day, you will not miss your meditation session. It is not difficult carving out 5-10 minutes from your schedule.

However, if you are too busy, you still need to push yourself to it. You also need to choose a place for meditation and make sure it is quiet and there is nothing that will distract you.

2. Settle down

After you have chosen your place, sit down comfortably in a lotus position or on your knees. If you are on your knees, hold your back straight, close your eyes, and put your hands on your lap. Positioning is vital for meditation.

A clumsy posture will make the whole session a waste of time. Put on a timer or a soft mp3 and try to sit in the same posture throughout the duration that you have fixed. This will help in increasing your concentration.

3. Prepare yourself

As you sit down in a posture, you need to defocus your eyes. It means you have to fix your eyes towards the mid-point of your nose and below that. In this way, you can focus on your inhalation and exhalation process and resist any other thoughts. Now breathe-in and breathe-out loudly 4-5 times and finally close your eyes on the last count.

4. Checking-in

As you close your eyes, you will not go into a different zone. This does not happen so fast and so to check-in properly, you need to feel everything around you and not touch anything. Feel the weight of your own body and your surroundings. This is how you start meditating.

5. Start focusing

As you have settled down properly and noted down in your mind any kind of discomfort, it is now time to focus. There is no problem if you are getting crowded with thoughts while you are meditating.

You do not need to ignore them as it is a normal thing to happen. Just let them touch your mind but do not keep yourself engrossed in any one thought. Reach out to the thoughts and then again come back and focus at the same point.

6. Free yourself

As you reach the mid-point of your meditation session, you need to free your mind. This is when you do not think about anything else and yet let everything happen around you. This is a point when you are just awake but your mind reaches peace and as a result, relaxes your whole body. This is the whole point of meditation.

7. Transcending

Try to go back now and slowly try to reach the position from where you started the session. You can now go about your daily chores but you shouldn’t jump up from your position. You should hold the calm that you have created and take it along with you for a prolonged state of peace and relaxation.

Now that you know the basic steps of meditation and you will find the following meditation facts more interesting.

Some Secrets of Meditation

Here are some of the interesting secrets that are going to be revealed. You will not miss your sessions after reading these.

1. We are Natural Yogis

Yes, every child is indeed born as a perfect yogi. This is because they have the purest of minds and they are the best examples of positivity. You must have noticed how a child starts laughing right after he was crying for something.

Children are always happy and cheerful and are at a more advanced state of peace. We are all born in that way but the stress levels of growing up and daily life affect us to become negative and distracted. Yoga helps you achieve ultimate peace and calmness.

2. I want Vs. I Have

This is a very important thing to consider if we want to achieve ultimate peace and happiness. We ‘want’ peace of mind when we meditate but have you ever thought if you already ‘have’ that peace inside you?

It is just that we do not nurture what we already have inside us. We meditate to relax but we never think that this peace and happiness does not drop-in from outside. We just meditate to find that out from our minds and bodies. We have to believe in the fact that we are complete and we have everything positive inside us and we just have to start bringing them out instead of the negative aspects.

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3. Meditation is Easy

Meditation is a very natural thing and there is no science involved in the procedure. Beginners may find it as an additional habit which is proven to have several positive effects on the body. However, with prolonged practice, meditation will become a part of you and meditation for inner peace and self- mastery will become a part of you.

4. De-focusing is the Key

The secret for successful meditation is not focusing but de-focusing. If you think about not concentrating on the several temporary thoughts clouding your mind, you will find peace. Rightfully, meditation is not controlling your mind and body, it is rather the art of letting go of everything.

5. Meditation Comes Naturally

If we take out half an hour every day and decide to sit idle with empty minds, it is a perfect way of meditation too. We need to sit, relax, and feel nothing and free our minds. Meditation will happen naturally without following a rule book. If you keep doing this, you will see this is becoming a part of your life, and you will be at more peace throughout the day.

6. Meditate for Mental Hygiene

We know how brushing our teeth is a part of our dental hygiene. Similarly, meditation works for mental hygiene. We never analyze how brushing removes cavities and harmful germs and dirt from our mouths. Similarly, we do not analyze how meditation helps in detoxifying our minds.

7. Meditation for World Peace

Think beyond yourself because meditation can have positive effects on you and the people around you. You can start meditating in large groups to spread awareness and peace among more people. The world will be a more peaceful place with more and more people practicing meditation.

Meditation for Kids

Do you think only adults need meditation and peace? You’re mistaken if your answer is yes. Kids are restless, and though they are always happy and cheerful, you should introduce the concept of mindfulness to them at an early age.

Growing-up takes time, and a lot of changes can be observed during this phase of life. Some children can show adverse changes and can have a tough time regulating themselves. Meditation can help resolve such problems if started early in life. Some disturbing scenarios during the growing-up phase that should alert you include-

Kids who become restless and uncontrollable easily.
Excessive meltdowns or tantrums
Transition phases during daily activities
Kids who are not easy with a lot of people surrounding them
Kids who become excessive introverts

These are some common situations that call for guided meditation for peace and happiness in children. A guided meditation means a procedure during which kids are guided through a sequence of meditation with a script or facilitator’s help. These are created with group meditation, video, audio recordings, meditation for peace script, or all of these together.

When there is a problem of self-regulation, lack of concentration, and anxiety in kids, making them go through these modern meditation methods can be helpful. These guides are designed exclusively for kids and will enhance their emotional and social development. Some examples of guided meditation and mindfulness resources for kids are:

Head Space
Calm
Go Noodle
Settle Your Glitter
Breathe, Think, Do the Sesame
Breathe
Stop, Breathe, and Think Kids
Simple, Effective Ways to Teach Mindfulness to Kids
Guided Meditation for Children

Applying these transition strategies and calming techniques will enhance self-regulation within your child. He will be able to overcome all the adverse syndromes that were becoming barriers to the process of healthy growing-up.

Best Apps to Practice Meditation for Mental Peace

The following is a list of some of the best apps that will help you focus on meditation, breathing, and mindfulness. They are available on both Google Play Store and iTunes, and they have better ratings than other similar applications.

1. Stop, Breath and Think

This app focuses on the emotional wellness of young people, especially those under the age of 25. This app helps young adults to deal with anxiety and depression. They also have additional activity platforms such as questionnaires to make you aware of your inner feelings from time to time. The app has a free trial version, after which it will cost you $9.99/month.

2. Calm

Calm helps people meditate more with the help of a wide range of guided meditations, and their main objective is to help people relax. They do not focus much on creativity and deep thoughts. Each meditation session ranges from 3-25 minutes, and their different guides are designed depending on the part of the day during which you will meditate.

There is also a premium version of this app, which offers additional tabs for breathing exercises, soothing musical tracks for better sleep, and sleep stories. Apart from this, they offer body-calming programs and advanced masterclasses. You can get this app free along with in-app purchases or purchase it for a $60 annual charge.

3. Buddhify

Available on both iOS and Android, this app consists of different meditation guides for different emotions and activities. It is a comparatively, more advanced meditation app and suitable for people who have been exposed to the meditation world for quite some time now. This is to help such people make mindfulness and meditation a bigger part of their daily lives.

There are personalized features and special features with which you can send meditation guidelines to your friends from the app. The app costs $4.99 for iPhone users and $1.99 for Android users. The premium membership will cost $30 annually.

4. Insight timer

This is one of the most user-friendly applications which offers you a wide range of free meditation guidelines. You will be able to learn from over 1,000 instructors without even purchasing a single service. They also have more than 750 soothing tracks. An extra $5/month can get you a premium subscription that will offer you premium meditation courses and an offline listening facility.

5. Omvana

This app is available free of cost along with in-app purchases and can offer you a wide range of meditation guidelines. They have guides designed to focus on creativity, better sleep, relaxation, productivity, body, and more. You can choose from their list of guidelines as per your requirement and the length of the session. You can customize a background score according to your mood.

Meditation Quotes

Apart from these applications, several meditation peace quotes have been designed by experts. You can find hundreds of such motivational meditation quotes on the internet that will help you find more energy.

You can get up in the morning and read a few of these quotes that can help you prepare for an amazing meditation session. These quotes are created to motivate you and inform you about the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, focus, creativity, and a positive mind and body.

Some of the meditation quotes are as follows:

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."

Thomas Byrom Tweet

"Learn to be calm and you will always be happy"

Paramahansa Yogananda Tweet

"Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom"

James Allen Tweet

"When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place"

Bhagavad Gita Tweet

"Meditation is a death – death of all that you are now. Of course there will be a resurrection, but that will be a totally new, fresh original being which you are not even aware is hidden in you"

Osho Tweet

"Your goal is not to battle with the mind, but to witness the mind."

Swami Muktananda Tweet

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

Bruce Lee Tweet

"The more regularly and the more deeply you meditate, the sooner you will find yourself acting always from a center of peace.”

J. Donald Walters Tweet

“I meditate so that I can inundate my entire being with the omnipotent power of peace.”

Sri Chinmoy Tweet

"The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the spirit lies its greatest joy."

Paramhamsa Yogananda Tweet

“Meditation is all about the pursuit of nothingness. It’s like the ultimate rest. It’s better than the best sleep you’ve ever had. It’s a quieting of the mind.”

Hugh Jackman Tweet

FAQ

How do you meditate to find peace?

We all seek inner peace, and meditation is the best way to find it. There is a way of meditating to achieve a relaxed body and a peaceful mind throughout the day. It would help if you meditated for peace of mind early in the morning before starting your day.

Try to find a place where you will not experience noise or any other kind of distraction. Next, sit in a straight posture and properly cup your hands. Now your main focus will be on your breathing, and you will have to resist the hundreds of thoughts that crowd your mind.

Your aim should be to come back to focus every time an outer thought hits you.

How can I learn inner peace?

To find inner peace, you should have a sense of harmony, fulfillment, satisfaction in life, and the power to think positively despite all the struggles in life. You can learn inner peace by understanding and practicing the theory of acceptance, forgiving, mindfulness, and of course, meditation for peace of mind and concentration.

Try to count your blessings and not consider what you do not have in life. Also, try to dominate and control things you cannot change. These are a few ways that can lead you on the path of inner peace.

What are the 3 types of meditation?

Just like doctors can cure diseases, meditation can also heal many problems in your body and mind. The 3 types or categories of meditation are compassion meditation, open monitoring, and automatic self-transcending.

Compassion or focus meditation is done in the ‘Zen’ procedure in which you focus on a single thought and resist your mind from diverting. Open Monitoring follows the ‘Zazen’ procedure and involves much lesser effort. This involves mindful meditation and focusing on the waves generated due to the many thoughts revolving in your mind.

The last one or automatic transcending requires the least effort and involves a lot of thinking. This process starts with thinking and evolves to reach a point where you are just awake and meditating beyond floating thoughts.

How can I calm my peaceful mind?

We face storms in our every day lives in the form of stress, struggles, and hardships. Despite so much, we all still deserve peace and calm. Indeed, life will always move at its own pace, but we need to find peace in such a hurry. The path of meditation for inner peace and happiness is the idea to achieve ultimate peace of mind and body.

To calm yourself instantly, which is needed in some situations, we should follow a few tricks. Try to extract positivity out of any given situation, and you will be at peace. You should breathe in and breathe out when you feel a situation is leading to an outburst.

At this moment, you should imagine how much more critical the same situation could be, and you will not feel broken. Besides meditation, you should also go for walks to relax your mind and body.

How do I relax and find inner peace?

Your choice of relaxing can be different from someone else, and it is normal. Relaxing is extremely important amidst all the stress that you have to go through every day. You can sleep to rest or watch a movie or pursue a hobby.

These are ways of relaxing, and out of all, a magical healing therapy is meditation. Practice meditation to relax from within, and you will know the effects within just a few days.

How can I channel my inner peace?

We are so busy with our to-do’s that we completely forget what our body and mind crave in the middle of everything. It is essential to spend quality time with yourself irrespective of your busy schedule. It would help if you found yourself and, more than that, know the person you are.

To channel your inner peace, you should, after a point, lives for yourself and according to rules set by society and others. It does not always matter what other people think about you. What is important is how comfortable you are in your skin. Learn how to forgive and look beyond petty things and devote some of your energy to activities and people who make you feel happy.

How do I stop worrying?

Worrying and anxiety are part and parcel of life, and no one knows how much worrying counts as too much. Do not drag normal worries to a point when it becomes excessive and uncontrollable. Besides meditation for anxiety, there are a few other small tips that you can practice in your daily life. Continuous anxiety and worrying can have negative effects on your mind and body.

It would help if you took some out early in the morning to sit and think about all that is pending and you have to finish. Once you are done thinking, close that chapter and move on with your day with a fresh mind. Do not even ponder around this worry list other than during your worry time, which should not be too long.

Accept the fact that no one is perfect and there will be problems and moments in life. Try to focus on the many positive aspects, rather than beating around that one negative incident. Lastly, keep the faith and believe in yourself, and do not waste your time on things you cannot change.

How do I feel peace?

Feeling inner peace is majorly in your own hands. Focus on the positive aspects of life and try to look over the few negatives among so many other good things. Count your blessings, and don’t complain about what you could not achieve in life.

It is better to stop stressing about every possible thing around you. Try to devote at least half an hour every day to practice meditation for some relaxation and peace of mind.

Can you meditate in bed?

It can be possible that you are not comfortable meditating in a proper lotus posture. This, however, does not mean that you will feel upset and think there is no other way of meditation. The fact is meditation rules should not be harsh because, in that way, you will stop doing it.

The main motive is to relax your mind and body, and you can even do it in bed. You must have heard of meditation for peaceful sleep, which is done while lying down.

Meditation while lying down should preferably be done on the floor if you do not want to fall asleep. If it is the other way around and meditating for better sleep and body pain, you can do it on the bed itself.

How long should a beginner meditate?

The trick is to start small and grows bigger. The smaller you start, the better the development process is. In many cases, beginners may feel irritated even within a couple of minutes. Thus, it is valid that you start from as small as just 3-5 minutes and then increase over time.

The reason is that there is much less concentration when you start meditating, and so even a couple of minutes feel like hours. It is better not to meditate based on any hard and fast rules.

What is the goal of meditation?

The main goal of meditation is to see the world that lies beyond the mind and cannot be experienced with open eyes. You have to see this world and the beauty of nature here with the help of your mind and soul within.

This inner world is made up of peace, bliss, and happiness and has been experienced by anyone who has meditated properly over a prolonged period. Meditation is how you can free your mind because you know that your mind is the major most obstacle between you and peace.

How do you meditate properly?

The most important trick is to channel your mind into a single thought and focus on it. You can lie or sit or meditate in whatever position you want. Just make sure your body is let loose when you meditate. Stiffness of the body can become a distraction while you are trying to focus.

Next, you will have to close your eyes and keep breathing naturally. The breathing should be your main focus here. Try to concentrate on the process of breathing-in and breathing-out and resist all other thoughts that are trying to distract you.

How do I clear my mind to meditate?

You can refer to peace meditation YouTube videos to know more about the dos and don’ts of meditation. If you are concerned about your concentration and whether you will focus once you try meditation, then there is a simple way to overcome this.

Take your meditation position and inhale and exhale about 4-5 times. This will help you calm down, and you can start meditating now. Also, a glass of warm milk before meditating helps if you meditate at night before going to sleep.

What do you think about when meditating?

It would help if you did not think of anything while meditating, and that is how you can focus more. Your concentration should ideally be between the part between your lips and nose. This way, you can put all your concentration on your breathing, which helps keep away all other distracting thoughts.

This is a complete overview of meditation, and you can do that to achieve ultimate peace. Now you know how you can be happy and glowing despite all the work pressure and stress in your daily life.