As shared in our last post, there are many benefits of meditation. There are also many different meditation techniques, and some have more benefits in one of these areas than others:
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- Transcendental Meditation
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Guided Meditation
- Body Scan Meditation
Transcendental meditation (TM) has been shown to be particularly helpful for reducing cortisol levels. TM is a mantra-based meditation technique that is commonly recommended to practice for 20 minutes, twice a day. One of the most widely practiced techniques in the United States, you can find practitioners and lessons readily available if you’d like to pursue this method.
If you’d like to focus on reducing overall anxiety levels, look into mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a technique that is popular because it can be practiced at any time—while you’re driving, brushing your teeth, walking the dog, or helping prepare your kids for bedtime. Its intent is to fully focus your mind on the moment you’re in, so you can acknowledge and assess your reactions, thoughts, and feelings toward each action you make. Mindfulness meditation often involves deep breathing and a push toward self-awareness and grounding. You can embark on this practice on your own, or with a teacher or even an app if you prefer.
The most beneficial methods of meditation for improved sleep are guided meditation and body scan meditation, though you can also explore deep breathing and movement meditation to find what works best for you. Guided meditation is the practice of meditating by way of a teacher or guide, either in person or through audio. Guided meditation is incredibly popular as a downloaded app that you can cue up as you get ready for bed. By providing a narrator, especially for new meditators, guided meditation can explain what’s happening in your mind and how your body is likely to react. They call upon all of your senses to ground your body and increase your sense of self-awareness. By introducing expert techniques to your meditation, the goal is to integrate it into your life more effectively.
Body scan meditation works similarly to guided meditation in that it uses your senses to ground and grow aware of your body. It’s particularly beneficial for sleep, because it requires you to be in a comfortable, resting position. When lying comfortably, you should direct all of your focus on one body part. Assess that body part, noting any pain, stress, or tension, then acknowledge and attempt to release those sensations before moving on to the next body part. Commonly, body scan meditation can bring with it a range of emotions and drifting thoughts. Those, too, are to be assessed and addressed before gently bringing your focus back to the body.
When will I see the benefits of meditation?
While it obviously varies from person to person, studies have shown that consistent practice of meditation can show a marked difference in mood, attention, and emotional regulation in as little as eight weeks¹. Whether the response is faster or takes a bit more time for you, we’re confident that with consistency, you’ll reap all the benefits of meditation that we’ve discussed. Om-wards and upwards!