Meditation isn’t something that comes naturally to me. With the constant hum of electronic devices and a seemingly never-ending to-do list, finding calm in the chaos can be a challenge.
But I've been searching for a self-care practice that will clear my mind, ease my nervous system and improve my sleep. I've done my research and chatted with experts and the go-to practice seems to be meditation.
"Meditation is a concentrative or contemplative practice that creates an opportunity to create singular focus, and to still and quiet the mind," explains Sasha Hanway, a certified breathwork and meditation coach at Ladder.
"We are often pulled forward by excitement or fear, or backwards in time by reflection or regret. Meditation creates an opportunity to ground the mind in the present moment," she explains. "Frequently, people think meditation is thinking of nothing, but it’s more about a singular, present focus."
I decided to meditate for 10 minutes before bed every night for a week to see if I would notice any benefit. Here’s what happened.
What I found from meditating every day for seven days
I needed a guiding voice
When you have a busy mind and jumbled thoughts, focusing on the here and now can be tricky.
So I turned to the pros and found several free guided meditations for beginners (like this one) to help me. The coaches helped me focus on places, people or feelings that calmed my mind, which was exactly what I needed.
My mind wandered
I often struggled to focus. But as Hanway reminded me, a wandering mind is completely normal. "Approach the practice without judgment. Just anchor back on the point of the meditation," she says.
Whenever my mind drifted to tomorrow’s to-do list, I gently brought it back to the present moment, which made me more aware of my thoughts and emotions.
I felt less stressed
Some of the meditations I tried used box breathing, cyclic sighing and belly breathing.
These methods slow your breath and can lower your heart rate too, which has a calming effect. I experienced this firsthand—after just 10 minutes of meditation, I felt less stressed and tense.
Normally, my brain is buzzing before bed, thinking about all the million and one things I haven’t done. But meditation helped me turn down the volume button on the mental noise and focus on being present, which was a welcome relief.
I woke up feeling like I had slept
Although I don’t struggle to sleep, I often wake up feeling tired. However, on five of the seven days I meditated before bed, I woke up feeling energized after a full night’s rest. Result!
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