{"id":221,"date":"2023-07-05T12:09:50","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T12:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehealthhop.com\/learn-to-meditate-and-improve-your-life\/"},"modified":"2023-07-05T12:09:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T12:09:51","slug":"learn-to-meditate-and-improve-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehealthhop.com\/learn-to-meditate-and-improve-your-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn to meditate and improve your life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This may come as a revelation, but if you\u2019re a mom who is stressed, overwhelmed, and overworked, you don\u2019t have to stay that way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meditation is a stress-relieving tool that works, and it\u2019s easy to learn. The best part? You can meditate in the comfort of your home \u2014\u00a0or car, or local park, or a quiet corner of your office.<\/p>\n

We pulled together the best tools and strategies to help you learn to meditate and to set your life on a calmer path:<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a comprehensive app to learn to meditate, try the Yours app [free for 7 days] >><\/a><\/p>\n

Take a deep breath, and keep reading: <\/p>\n

Author and Mom Shonda Moralis offers a quick take on why moms should learn to meditate<\/h2>\n

Shonda Moralis, author of Breathe, Mama, Breathe<\/a><\/em> and a mom herself, says meditation can be \u201clife-changing\u201d for busy moms everywhere \u2014 and you only need a few minutes a day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch shows that kids whose parents meditate are more well-behaved, calm, and happier,\u201d she says. \u201cThe children do not even need to meditate themselves. It is powerful, evidence-based, and must be experienced first-hand to feel the wide-ranging benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moralis adds that her own relationship with her children was drastically enhanced by meditation \u2014 and it inspired her to write her book.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To learn more and experience meditation for herself, Moralis enrolled in her local hospital\u2019s 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Part of the homework was to meditate 30 minutes a day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, my daughter \u2014 who is now 20 \u2014 was 3. Within weeks, I noticed so many positive changes. I slowed down a notch (which was not easy to do as a Type-A mom) and found I was actually more productive and efficient,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moralis says she had more energy and patience with her daughter because she wasn\u2019t as stressed and enjoying life more in general.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hooked,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

What is meditation?<\/h2>\n

In the simplest terms, meditation is \u201ca method for drawing your awareness away from the external world and into your internal world,\u201d says Philip Clift, a yoga studio owner, meditator and contributor to the podcast, \u201cThe Astral Hour.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Clift has been teaching clients to control their breath and focus their minds for more than three decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He says that in today\u2019s world, people are constantly bombarded with information and media, in addition to managing our interpersonal relationships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMeditation allows you to intentionally move into your own personal experience,\u201d Clift says. \u201cIt allows you to resonate with the present moment, which you can\u2019t do if you\u2019re distracted by external factors.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why learn to meditate? What are the benefits of meditation?<\/h3>\n

Meditation has multiple benefits. Some of them are physical, and others are emotional and mental.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health<\/a>, there\u2019s evidence that meditation may reduce blood pressure, as well as symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and flare-ups in people who have had ulcerative colitis. It may also ease symptoms of anxiety and depression and help people with insomnia.<\/p>\n

\u201cMeditation enhances every aspect of your life,\u201d Clift adds. \u201cWe can become very distracted and imbalanced by coping with daily stressors. Meditation is a way of moving past that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Is therapy worth it? Best online therapy sites for 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

How to meditate<\/h2>\n

So how do you start meditating? First of all, you don\u2019t need any fancy equipment or even a teacher; you can learn to meditate all by yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, you might have been meditating already without realizing it. Exercising, a hot shower, daydreaming \u2014 anything that takes you away from outside stimulation counts as meditation, Clift says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you learn the techniques, you can apply them easily to your daily life,\u201d he says. \u201cPaying attention to your breath is the best place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

Can you teach yourself to meditate?<\/h3>\n

Yes, you can absolutely teach yourself to meditate \u2014 you just need a couple of simple techniques, like knowing the right way to breathe. Once you\u2019ve mastered meditative breathing, you can move on to more \u201ccomplex\u201d techniques, if you choose. But breathing is the base of any meditative practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Check out this video from Epworth HealthCare in Tyrone, Pa., that provides 5 minutes of mindful breathing exercises:<\/p>\n