Meditation is a useful tool for mind and body. It is also a great addition to a daily health and fitness routine.
I will admit I was not a proponent for meditation until a couple of weeks ago. While I was doing Yoga one night on my apple fitness app and saw that meditation had been added. I thought why not?
That night I had the best night sleep I had in a long time.
Since the COVID-19 shut down, I have been focusing a lot more on my physical fitness including a mixture of strength training and cardio. But my mental health was still being left behind.
That is where the meditation has come in.
Benefits of Meditation
According to the Mayo Clinic there are many benefits:
- Reducing stress
- Improving sleep quality
- Managing stress
- Reducing negative emotions and thoughts
- Lowering blood pressure
Types of Meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in different cultures. Over time, many different types have emerged. See the Mayo Clinic website here for more information.
The specific type I have been practicing is Mindfulness Meditation. During the 5-10 minutes of practice, mindfulness focuses on being mindful and aware of surroundings, as well as living in the present. Focusing on breathing is another aspect.
Performing the meditation before bedtime helps me to relax and turn off my mind to fall asleep.
Meditation Apps
I personally use the Apple Fitness+ app on the Apple TV and love it. But, I have tried several different types of meditation apps on the phone and here are my favorites.
Headspace: Mindful Meditation. Has so many different options to use. It has a lot of information that might be too much at times.
Calm. This one has less options if you get the free version. Paying for the subscription gets you more. The free stuff helped to do just as the name says be calm.
Balance: Meditation and Sleep. This one also has in app purchases for more options. But gets the job done without the extra material.
No matter what your position in life, stress is present, take a few minutes for yourself to clear your mind and get a better night sleep. Meditation is a useful tool for mind and body