Meditationexercise photo

Fredy Ruiz, MD, Family Practice Medicine

Meditation focuses the mind’s energy on a word, a sound, a symbol, a comforting image, or your own breathing. The goal is to produce a deep state of relaxation and tranquility while simultaneously enhancing mental focus.
 
Meditation for stress relief
Meditation focuses the mind’s energy on a word, a sound, a symbol, a comforting image, or your own breathing. The goal is to produce a deep state of relaxation and tranquility while simultaneously enhancing mental focus. Did you know that deeply experienced meditators have developed many latent abilities that they never knew they had, abilities that exist within every person? And they have gotten much closer to answering life's mysterious questions?

They are much smarter, too. In fact, meditators brains have been proven to function at a superior level on every single test, measurement, and assessment that the scientific community has generated. That is one reason why top level executives and CEOs meditate.

Were you aware that meditators produce immensely more pleasurable brain chemicals, the same chemicals that flow through your system on the days when you feel very good, and these pleasurable brain chemicals are produced constantly?

Did you know that they also sleep much better? As a matter of fact, they need fewer hours of sleep every night because their mind and bodies are completely refreshed and rejuvenated during their highly pleasurable meditation sessions. Meditation is many times more powerful than sleep.

Also, meditators have far superior mental and emotional health. They have less anxiety, depression, anger, sadness, fear, and they have more friends, healthier relationships, and feel a great deal more satisfied and content with their lives? You cannot be stressed and relaxed at the same time; therefore one of the best methods that can assist you with controlling your body to deal with stress is the practice of meditation as a relaxation technique. More than 1,300 studies have documented the effectiveness of meditation as a health practice. The benefits of meditation include: lowering heart rate, muscle tension, stress hormone secretion and resting blood pressure. Many hospitals and clinics are now adopting meditation in health management and other health-oriented programs. There are many forms of meditation but they usually produce the same healthful benefits. The financial burden is none - it's free, requires no special equipment and requires only a small amount of time. What matters most is consistency-meditate every day if possible.

For stress relief, try the following mindfulness techniques:
  • Body scan – Body scanning cultivates mindfulness by focusing your attention on various parts of your body. Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet and work your way up. However, instead of tensing and relaxing your muscles, you simply focus on the way each part of your body feels without labeling the sensations as either “good” or “bad”.

  • Walking meditation - You don’t have to be seated or still to meditate. In walking meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step — the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, and feeling the wind against your face.

  • Mindful eating – If you reach for food when you’re under stress or gulp your meals down in a rush, try eating mindfully. Sit down at the table and focus your full attention on the meal (no TV, newspapers, or eating on the run). Eat slowly, taking the time to fully enjoy and concentrate on each bite.

  • Guided imagery - When used as a relaxation technique, guided imagery involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether a tropical beach, a favorite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen. You can do this visualization exercise on your own, with a therapist’s help, or using an audio recording.

  • Repetitive prayer- any repetitive prayer—saying the rosary, repeating the Lord’s prayer, chanting a mantra—can clear the mind and elicit the relaxation response. Furthermore, you will be more motivated to maintain a meditation practice if you focus on a word or phrase that is deeply meaningful to you.