Researchers studied how effective activities that increase arousal, such as venting and running, and activities that decrease arousal, such as meditation and yoga, calm people down.
They analyzed 154 studies involving more than 10,000 participants and found that activities that lower arousal were effective in controlling anger.
The next time you feel like venting your problems to a friend, consider taking a break and meditating instead.
If you’ve never meditated before, it can be difficult to know if you’re practicing in a way that will prove effective.
Jade Weston, senior meditation producer at Ten Percent Happier and a 15-year meditator, provided CNBC Make It with three guiding questions you can ask yourself during your practice.
- Where am I focusing my attention? Notice where your mind wanders and try refocusing on your breathing.
- How am I feeling now? Think about how you feel. Don’t try to change it, just assess how you feel.
- what is my intention? Remember why you wanted to pursue meditation. This will give you the motivation to continue.
Answering these questions will help you feel more present in the present moment.
Meditation expert and MindValley CEO Vishen Lakhiani told CNBC Make It that you don’t need to meditate for long hours to see positive results.
Lachiani recommends no more than 20 minutes of meditation per day. However, it may only take him a minute to reset.
“For most people, 15 to 20 minutes is enough to make the change they need,” he says. “Just immersing yourself in silence for 1-3 minutes can do wonders for you.”
Rather than lashing out at your relative, a few minutes of silence may help lower your frustration level.
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