When we think of mindfulness, it can feel as if it requires a lot of time and effort. Meditations, yoga, reflection – it’s scarier than it sounds. There are many proven benefits of meditation and one of the most prominent ones is the positive impact it has on our brain.
In recent decades, public interest in mindfulness skyrocketed and it resulted in the widespread acceptance of meditation as a form of stress relief and wellbeing. Together with public acceptance, more scientific studies were conducted to see the exact results it has on our behavior, mental and overall health. According to the Harvard Gazette, the number of randomized controlled trials rose from 1 in 1995-1997 to 11 in 2004-2006, to amazing 216 in the time from 2013-2015. All of this not only proves that the Western world accepted not only the philosophy surrounding it, but also the practice.
According to a study conducted by Harvard professors, indicated that individuals who meditated over an 8-week period had impacted the genes that regulate inflammation, circadian rhythms, and glucose metabolism. As a result, there was a significant decrease in their blood pressure! Although this study alone doesn’t prove meditation will lower your blood pressure, it does serve as a direction in which we should search further.
Meditation is not a universal experience. It presents itself differently to every individual and we all need some time to learn what suits us best. What is true is that we can all benefit from it, even when doing it for only 5 minutes a day.
Although it is a personal experience, we prepared 3 ways you can incorporate meditation into your daily lifestyle, as proven by our colleagues here at Bellabeat.
You either love mornings or you don’t, there’s not much in between, but if you’re one of us who’s not a big fan, this one is for you! If you have a hard time getting out of bed, you snooze your alarm too many times, there’s a better alternative that will cut the time you need to get out of bed to only 5 minutes!
When your first alarm rings, just sit on your bed and relax. You don’t have to wake up fully yet. Take your phone and select any of our Meditations from the Bellabeat app, choosing the ones that last 4-6 minutes (personal favorites – Body Scan, Present Moment and Calming Anxiety).
Follow these guided meditations and slowly wake up. Once you’re over, you’ll feel ready to get out of the bed and start your day!
You probably never thought of walking as a way to meditate and feel more in touch with your self. But why not? It’s the time of our day that we can dedicate to ourselves fully, without stressing about our tasks, obligations, and concerns.
Your walk doesn’t have to be long to practice meditation – going to the store and back or walking your dog is the perfect timing. Get your shoes on, log into your Bellabeat app and choose our Walking meditation, available in both 3-minute and 6-minute versions. Perfect to get some alone-time while taking care of your daily chores.
Sleep issues are one of the main problems people have today. Not only is it related to stress, but it also has much to do with our lifestyle, exposure to different media-from our TV, mobile phones, tablets, even our smartwatches. It’s becoming normal to be available 24/7 and we all sometimes stay too long scrolling down Instagram. Well, with all the blue light exposure, it’s no wonder we have a hard time falling asleep.
Meditations can not only help you fall asleep but can also improve the quality of it. Whether your preferences are ambient sounds or guided meditations, we have them covered!
Try our Deep Sleep guided meditation and hear the crisp sound of a burning wood or choose from our ambient meditations – Tropical Island, Country Meadow, and Deep Ocean. Hear how different sounds can relax your body and sense the difference in your sleep.
What are your favorite Bellabeat meditations? Let us know in the comments below!
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