There is always something to be anxious about. Even as you have found a way to deal with one thing, very often there is something else that comes along right behind it. You can’t wait for everything to be perfect; instead, you have to find ways to cope with whatever comes your way. Daily meditation may be just the answer you are looking for.
Meditation Has Stood The Test of Time
The good news is that there are several different resources for anxiety and several different ways to deal with it. Exercise, counseling, and just going out for a fun night with friends can help. But you might consider adding meditation to your list of techniques for dealing with anxiety and daily stress.
Meditation has a long history of helping to calm the mind. It is thought that meditation goes back as far as 3000 BCE, and it has long been a part of many religious traditions. However, you don’t have to be religious to reap its benefits.
Does It Actually Work?
Studies have shown that meditation has many benefits in addition to controlling anxiety: it can reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders (such as panic attacks), improve attention span, help with age-related memory loss, help with stress, and even improve symptoms of depression and help you to have a more positive outlook. And those are just a few of the benefits!
So how does it help with anxiety? For many people, anxiety attacks are caused when you can’t stop thinking and worrying about the future and what it may hold. Meditation teaches you how to be more present in the “now,” which can reduce anxiety. It can also help to calm down an overactive brain, which can make you feel overwhelmed and out of control, leading to anxiety.
How to Get Started With Meditation
Maybe you’ve tried meditation before but thought it just wasn’t for you. Don’t give up just yet – there are many different types of meditation, and so the odds are very good that you can find one you enjoy.
And it doesn’t have to be a structured meditation, either. If you are looking for a basic meditation to start with, try just sitting in a comfortable place where you know you won’t be interrupted. Focus on your breathing, and the sensation of breathing out and in. When your mind starts to think of other things, guide it back to your breathing, without berating yourself for your mind wandering.
Remember that it takes practice. You never realize how much your mind wanders until you try to control it! And you won’t master it right away; it is definitely a skill, and one that takes time to learn. If you keep at it, though, it can help you to slow your thoughts down and eventually help to control your anxiety.
An Inexpensive, But Valuable Skill
You don’t need expensive equipment to begin meditation, and you don’t need to go to a fancy spa. All you really need is a quiet spot and a few minutes a day. And, of course, you need patience with yourself as you work on this new skill.
Some people find it helpful to download one of the many apps available for meditation. These apps can help you learn to be more mindful of your thoughts, provide guided meditations, or keep track of your progress as you learn to meditate.
Meditation isn’t a magic cure for anxiety, but it can help you to learn how to deal with it in a very productive way, by helping you to calm down an overactive mind. When you learn how to meditate, you may also find that when life gets especially stressful, you have developed skills to deal with the extra stress that you didn’t have before. It has a long history of helping people to function better so that life is more enjoyable, and even science says it works. If you suffer from anxiety, meditation might be worth a try.
Biography
Roman has been writing in the health and self-development industry for years. Roman completed a degree in psychology from UC Berkeley and now shares his knowledge with others. He has written in local and private magazines and received multiple awards for his work.
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