Can Daily Meditation Improve Your Health?
Feeling your best can be the result of taking a walk each day, eating plenty of vegetables, and keeping up with your regular physician appointments. However, those aren’t the only steps you can take to meet your wellness goals. For example, connecting with peers and finding ways to socialize with friends is one more way to put your overall health at the center of your lifestyle. Another way? Meditation. 
No matter if you think meditation is too difficult, or a little too new age, one thing is certain: it can significantly improve your health even if you practice for just 5-10 minutes each day.
Can daily meditation improve your health?
Benefits of Senior Meditation
The National Institute of Health reports that the number of adults that participate in regular meditation has tripled since 2017. It’s no wonder why, though. Meditation feels more accessible to everyone nowadays, thanks to local classes and apps. In addition, the research for senior meditation has increased over the past few years, pointing to benefits that can significantly enhance wellness.
Benefits of meditation can include:
- Better stress response and the ability to shut off stress hormones after a stressful event
- Help with pain management, especially for those living with chronic pain
- Boost immune system response
- Make falling asleep – and staying asleep – easier
- Enhance concentration and attention span
- Lower blood pressure and reduce glucose spikes
These are just a few major benefits that meditation and mindfulness can bring. Ready to try it?
Tips for Starting Your Meditation Practice
Trying out meditation is just like trying to incorporate any new habit: it takes practice. The good news, though, is that you don’t need a lot of equipment or time in order to get started. You just need an open mind, as well as patience and grace for yourself. Here are a few steps as you begin your practice.
- Start with minimal practice time. Five minutes or less is the perfect amount of meditation time for a beginner. As you get better at being still for that long, you can increase your time.
- Get comfortable. You can lie down or sit on a chair. Just be sure you are comfortable and can breathe easily.
- Focus on your breath. You don’t have to alter your breathing in order to meditate (though you can). Close your eyes and pay attention to your breath. If it helps, you can choose a word or phrase to say to yourself as you breathe in and another as you breathe out.
- You’ll notice your thoughts drifting as you meditate. Don’t get impatient with yourself. Instead, bring your attention back to your breathing.
- Set a timer to keep you from glancing at the clock.
- Before you resume your day after meditating, take a moment to observe how you feel. You can write it down in a journal or just remember your feelings. This way, you can document how your mood shifts after a meditation session.
- Use an app. If you are looking for more of a guided meditation experience, consider trying an app like Headspace.
- Stick with it. Remember, it takes about two months for something to become a habit.
So, can daily meditation improve your health? Yes.
Daily meditation, even for just five-to-10 minutes each session, can enhance your overall wellness. Give it a shot and see how you feel after practicing consistently.