Time to Meditate

Meditation practice a way of life  What is meditation?Meditation isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. You’re not trying to turn off your thoughts or feelings. You’re learning to observe them without judgment. And eventually, you may start to better understand them as well.Meditation is a skillLearning to meditate is like learning any other skill. Think of it like exercising a muscle that you’ve never really worked out before. It takes consistent practice to get comfortable. And it’s usually easier if you have a teacher. We’ve got you covered there.Meditation has been around for thousands of years, but only recently has the Western world really explored the science and mental health benefits behind this practice. In fact, there are a plethora of research studies readily available that explain the health benefits of mindful meditation. One of the most fascinating? Mediation is a great natural remedy to sleep.It's meditation practice, not meditation perfect There’s no such thing as perfect meditation. Sometimes your focus will wander or you’ll forget to follow your breath. That’s OK. It’s part of the experience. What’s most important is to meditate consistently. It’s one of those things where the journey is more important than the destination If you find yourself tossing and turning on a regular basis, here are three reasons you may want to incorporate meditation into your nightly wind-down routine:
LOWER STRESS AND ANXIETY Reducing stress and anxiety levels are one of the greatest reasons to meditate. Meditation helps to lower cortisol levels by promoting a relaxation response in the body. Cortisol is the hormone that directly impacts stress levels. At night cortisol levels should naturally decrease so your body can relax and fall asleep. But when under constant stress, cortisol levels stay elevated, which leads to a whole slew of health-related problems.
ENHANCED SELF-AWARENESS In relation to focusing on the present, meditation helps you direct your awareness on your current thoughts and emotions. The discipline of practicing living in the present helps you gain understanding and control over yourself. This, in turn, can help you to understand how you relate to others as well.Understanding and accepting yourself for who you are can lead to a greater sense of confidence and self-image. Being able to know yourself and what triggers different emotions in you can be a great starting block for other positive health changes.
BETTER SLEEP Do you ever have trouble sleeping? If you do, meditation could be a perfect tool for you to use to overcome those nights that you just can’t seem to fall asleep! PubMed came out with a study that concluded mindful meditation can be extremely helpful for allowing people to have a restful night’s sleep and combating insomnia.
CONCLUSIONNow that you know the amazing benefits of adding meditation to your life, it is time you give it a try. Even practicing five minutes of mindfulness before hitting the hay can improve sleep and overall well being in more ways than you might think. Not to mention, what better way is there to end a long day than with the tranquility of intentional meditation? Your mind, body and soul will thank you.