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There are a lot of techniques in relieving stress. Those who work for a full time job end up sitting on their couches at home after work while watching their favorite TV shows. However, this has almost no effect at all. If you really want to get rid of stress, the best thing to do is to go on a quiet corner in your house and meditate.
Effectiveness of Meditation
According to researchers from John Hopkins University, 47 out of 19,000 studies related to meditation have proven that this technique helps reduce psychological stress and anxiety. It can also help ease physical pain or avoid getting into a state of depression. This was confirmed by Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School. She said that people with anxiety have a lot of distracting thoughts. They have a hard time differentiating thoughts on how to solve a problem and worrying thoughts which have no benefit at all. When people start meditating, it becomes easier to think clearly. People who mediate will acknowledge that worrying is a simple thought, but is not a part of their core self.
Though there are quite a few studies already made in regards to meditation, science is yet to connect the dots especially between the part of the brain that meditates and the immune system. A recent study conducted at the University of Wisconsin showed that there is an increase in the electrical activities of the left frontal lobe of the brain during meditation. This is also the same region that is more active for optimistic people. After 8 weeks of meditation training, those who undergo the process are of a happier disposition as compared to their dispositions before.
How to Meditate
You might have seen people who tend to be so deep and seemingly undisturbed the moment they start to meditate. Even if their environment is not necessarily conducive for meditation, they still manage to meditate. Of course, this is only applicable for experts. If you are a beginner, here are some pieces of advice for you to follow:
• Start by focusing on your breath. When you breathe deep, your heart rate slows down. It also relaxes your muscles and helps your mind to stay focused on the exercise.
• Before closing your eyes, try to stretch your muscles first. This will loosen tendons and allow you to sit comfortably.
• Don’t lose focus on your goal. When you meditate, it has to come with a purpose. You cannot just close your eyes and think of nothing. You might just fall asleep. Though meditation is very quiet, it is actually an active process. Therefore, you need to put your entire attention into it. You must also bear in mind what you want to be resolved after the session.
• Experiment on the best position. Sometimes, it is frustrating if you try so hard but you just can’t meditate as hard as the others. Therefore, you need to relax and be totally at peace before starting over again. If possible, you can change your position so that you will feel more comfortable.
• Listen to soothing music. If this helps you feel more relaxed, you have to do it. Just make sure that the music is not so loud or has lyrics that you wish to sing with rather than just listen to it.
• Don’t stress out. The goal of meditation is to feel relaxed. If it stresses you out, then stop for a while.
Yes, it takes time to master the art of meditation. However, if you have done it right, you will feel totally relieved.