When times are tough such as at the moment, it’s important to take care of your wellbeing. Here are four reasons meditation is the best way to do this…

If you are going to make one simple change to improve your physical and mental wellbeing, you should take up meditation. A lot of people are unsure about meditation as they don’t know how to do it, but it’s not difficult and it has a lot of great benefits. 

When you first get started, it may feel a little strange and it might take you a while before you are able to clear your mind and be truly present, but you should notice the difference right away. If you have never meditated before, you should check out these tips for meditation to help you get started. But before you start practising meditation, it’s important to understand why you should do it in the first place. 

These are some of the amazing physical and mental health benefits of meditating on a daily basis. 

Reduced Stress 

Reducing stress is one of the biggest benefits of mediation. If you have a busy work and home life, it is important that you take time for yourself and find ways to unwind after a long day. When you practice meditation, you learn to let go of your thoughts, so all of the things that are stressing you out and relax for a while. The effects of meditation continue after the session has finished, so you will notice a long term reduction in your stress levels if you practice on a daily basis. 

Improved Sleep 

Poor sleep patterns are incredibly common, and lack of sleep has a lot of negative effects on your physical and mental health. When you do not sleep properly, you are far more likely to feel the effects of stress and you are more likely to develop mental health issues. Poor sleep has also been linked to a range of physical health problems, like heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. But if you meditate on a daily basis, especially in the evenings, you will find it a lot easier to maintain a good sleep schedule. 

Mindfulness 

Being mindful means living in the present, rather than worrying about the past and future. When you learn to be more mindful, you will find that you experience life in a way that you never have before, and you are far less stressed and anxious about things. Learning mindfulness is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health, and meditation is an effective way to be more mindful. When you meditate, you let go of your thoughts and focus on your body and your breathing, so you are experiencing the present moment in its purest form. As you practice more, this mindfulness will carry over into your everyday life. 

Pain Relief 

If you live with a chronic pain condition, it is important that you find ways to manage it, and meditation can be a huge help. Pain is partly psychological, and there are some great guided meditation videos for pain that you can find for free online. These will help to relieve pain and make it easier to get on with your normal daily activities. 

These are just some of the many benefits of meditation, so if you want to improve your physical and mental wellbeing, you should start practising right away.