3 Ways Meditation Can Help during Hard Times

The amount of change and uncertainty brought on by events during 2020 is significant. Not surprisingly, research suggests that Americans are much more stressed out this year . There’s much that is out of our control, but the one thing we can control is what we do to cope with this stress.  

According to Kristin Lothman , a mind-body counselor with Mayo Clinic’s Department of Integrative Medicine and Health, meditation—or mindfulness—is a powerful tool for dealing with the current pressures. “Mindfulness is about paying attention on purpose to the present moment. And I believe mindfulness is a powerful tool we can use right now.” Here are three ways that meditation can help during hard times:

Lowers Stress Levels

Stress is sometimes caused by your mind being overrun by too many competing thoughts. Meditation helps you to focus on one thing at a time, thus eliminating the cause of the stress. “[Meditation] gives us the space to sort out which demands on our energy, attention, and emotions are valid and which are not,” says Maria Camara, PhD . “We feel pressure when we don’t have this space in our minds and in our lives.” Relief, then, comes as we meditate upon these demands and organize our priorities.

Regulates Our Anxiety

The American Physiological Association defines anxiety as “persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor.” Anxiety can be a catalyst for a number of other symptoms as well, such as “insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension and irritability.” A number of studies are suggesting a link between meditation and anxiety reduction . And it doesn’t require hours of meditation practice per day to see results. In fact, 2.5 hours per week—ti.e., a little more than 20 minutes per day—is all it takes to see “consistent effects.”

Improves the Immune System

Meditation has been shown to help strengthen the immune system ! This is great news for us as we continue to understand how COVID-19 is spreading. Add meditation to your daily activities as an added measure of defense during this pandemic. 

Here at Yorba Linda Pines Apartments, we want to be sure all our residents are enjoying their lives as much as possible. Meditation is a simple tool we can utilize to fight stress, reduce anxiety, and improve our immune systems. Try to dedicate some time each day to quiet mindfulness. We know it will help us all as we strive to “Live Happy!”