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Commit to be Fit: Manage your stress with meditation
Kylie Alger
May. 3, 2024 6:00 am
Feeling stressed is not only uncomfortable — it’s actually very unhealthy. According to the World Health Organization, unmanaged stress is a major health epidemic. In fact, 75 to 90 percent of all primary care visits to the doctor are stress-related. Yikes!
So what is one of the best ways to manage stress? Meditate.
Benefits of meditation
Studies show that a consistent meditation practice has many health benefits for both mental and physical well-being. A meditation practice has the ability to help reduce stress and inflammation, which has anti-aging effects at the cellular level. Meditation can decrease depression and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, promote better sleep, lower blood pressure, reduce the perception of pain, boost our immune systems and improve relationships as a result of enhanced self-awareness.
Remarkably, research is also finding that meditation has the power to increase gray matter in the brain that are involved with executive function and self-regulation. Parents, these same, incredible benefits also are experienced by children who take time to meditate. (YouTube has guided meditation for kids.)
I have two close friends who say that their meditation practice has been transformative for them. As a result, I am ready to jump in and see for myself. There are many forms of meditation, experiment to see which one works best for you.
- Guided meditation. Especially great for beginners, guided meditation is when an instructor guides you through meditation. Many apps offer guided meditations or search for free guided meditations on YouTube. My friends say this may be the easiest way to get started.
- Gratitude meditation. I've incorporated this type of meditation into my nightly prayer routine before bedtime, and the results have been remarkable for improving my sleep quality. Here’s how I practice it: I visualize the faces of my family members and friends and silently express gratitude for each one. This simple act of appreciation has alleviated some sleep anxiety I used to experience. My mind would race with worries and I would end up imagining many “worst-case scenarios” — a phenomenon often referred to as “catastrophizing” or “catastrophic thinking.” I’m immensely grateful for the power of this gratitude meditation, and I hope it can offer similar solace to those who struggle with sleep issues.
- Breath and mantra meditation. Other popular ways to meditate include focusing on your breath and using mantras or words to help reduce the activity of a wandering mind. Choose a word, phrase or intention to focus on during your meditation that has special meaning to you. Some examples include: love, I am resilient or I am thriving. My 93-year-old grandpa would meditate by mindfully repeating one word, Jesus, during his prayer/meditation time. This prayerful meditation got me through my second labor and delivery when my epidural wore off!
The mental, emotional and physical benefits of meditation are simply too compelling to pass up. I know if there were a pill promising the same results, I would be asking my doctor for a prescription. Armed with this knowledge, I’m committing to practicing meditation in the month of May. My friends say just 5 to 10 minutes of meditation in the morning dramatically improves their mood, clarity and overall well-being throughout the day.
The best advice I have received about meditation is: Just do it. Don’t overthink it, just start. Want to join me?
Kylie Alger is a certified wellness coach and co-owner of the Well-Woman: Body, Mind & Spirit. Comments: kylie@thewellwoman.org.
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