Recently, the word "meditation" has been pronounced almost more often than the phrase "global warming". The acclaimed practice, which Hollywood actors and geeks from Silicon Valley are credited with for their success, can help reduce stress, improve sleep, put things in order and improve overall health. If your acquaintance with meditation has not yet happened, we hasten to name four good reasons why it should still take place. You don't have to go far: your mobile phone can easily become the meeting place.
1. Take time for yourself and "slow down"
Agree, given the rhythms in which we live from day to day, society could not but face the emergence of a trend for slow life (literally - "slow life"). One way to practice it is to start meditating regularly. Daily sessions of a few minutes will teach you how to live in the present and live every moment to its fullest.
2. Nothing is required of you except desire
Meditation is one of those wellness habits that absolutely everyone can do. Practitioners of the practice advise to meditate while sitting, but it is not forbidden to do this while lying down, standing, while walking or while flying on an airplane (read also: “Why public transport is a great place for meditation”). Beginners may need a special “guide” to guide them on what to look for and how to maintain awareness during the session. There are applications for this - for example, Buddo, in which a calm and pleasant voice will "guide" you from section to section.
About Buddo app:
The Buddo app will help you learn the basics of meditation and reach an advanced level without getting lost in the flow of information. Start with the Basics section, which is available even to non-subscribing users. Once you've mastered the basics, move on to six other sections, each dedicated to a specific topic: stress, relationships, anxiety, sleep, happiness, and focus.
- Buddo has two subscription options - for a month (RUB 399) and for a year (RUB 3,650). You don't have to choose right away: you have seven days to try the app for free.
- You can opt out of subscribing and use the free lessons from the Basics section.
- At Buddo, you will find seven thematic courses: Basics, Stress, Relationships, Anxiety, Sleep, Happiness, and Focus. Access to them opens in stages, first you will need to familiarize yourself with the basics.
3. The ability to improve not only mental, but also physical health
Did you know that in eight weeks, participants in one medical experiment conducted by Google reported a 46% reduction in depression and 31% reduction in anxiety? Or that just a month of daily meditation raises your level of focus by 14%?
To appreciate the serious physical benefits of meditation, it is important to understand how chronic stress can damage the body. Stress affects the sympathetic nervous system, causing natural stress hormones (such as adrenaline and cortisol) to flow into the bloodstream, which in turn increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, and constricts blood vessels. The University of California-Davis reported on a study that showed medical students reduced their stress levels by 12% after 10 days of daily meditation.
4. Increase your defense
With regular meditation, this practice will help you form a protective shell that protects you from stress and irritation, just as headphones sometimes help block out annoying noise. By meditating, we not only train attention and concentration, but also the ability to turn off at the right time, controlling the level of stress and our reaction to it.
Photo: Getty Images
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