An undeniable fact of modern life is that it’s busy. In fact, we’re often too busy to prioritize what’s really important, like our mental health and well-being. We all know that regular meditation has many mental and physical benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, increased self-awareness, and improved sleep quality, which is why healthcare professionals recommend It’s easy to see why people extol the virtues of meditation. But does he need to spend 30 minutes or even an hour every day meditating? Obviously, it’s not easy.
But there may be a way to reap the benefits of meditation without investing as much of your precious time. In fact, experts have found that just 12 minutes of mindfulness a day may be enough to lower cortisol levels, which contribute to heightened stress. Many health practitioners endorse this so-called magic number, and Apple has even launched an entire podcast series on it. 12 minute meditationin collaboration with Mindful, is dedicated to the slimmed down art of meditation.
“New scientific research shows that 12 minutes of meditation a day can improve alertness, focus, creativity, calmness, resilience, compassion, and more,” Apple said. . “By practicing a new mindfulness meditation every week, 12 minute meditation Episodes focus on everything from replenishing your cognitive energy to cultivating more compassionate self-talk, and they’re all delightfully quick.
“What really matters is the regularity of your practice, not the length of your meditation,” says Leah Santa Cruz, co-director of meditation at award-winning meditation app Balance. “As with exercise, consistency trumps occasional intensity. We have found in research experiments that many significant benefits begin within three minutes of meditating. The mind and body immediately The goal is to access a state of physical rest that is more important than sleep itself, and to develop enough discipline to establish a habit. Don’t be obsessed with perfection.”
So how do you start a 12-minute meditation routine? There are two approaches you can implement. Do it for 12 minutes in a row once a day or every hour he does a 1 minute session. Yes, 60 seconds of focused meditation is enough as long as you make it a regular habit. The popular platform Headspace (known for its extremely relaxing guided mediations) also offers his one-minute recordings, which are perfect for stress relief.
If you choose one session per day, be sure to arrive at the same time, advises Jamie Greenlaw Meek, resident psychic at Wellness Foundry. “Consider incorporating meditation into your morning routine, preferably right after you wake up,” he says. “This time is ideal, as he is less likely to doze off and sleep better at night. Start him off with a five-minute session and gradually increase the time.”
Whatever method you choose, it’s heartening to know that meditation can be a beneficial and achievable tool for even the most time-poor. Like any habit, mindfulness is developed through small, incremental actions repeated regularly. And it could be one of the most valuable things you add to your routine this year.
be interested? We’ve put together a short cheat sheet to help you get started with meditation, along with some products to make your meditation journey a little easier.
How to start meditating
Start small and don’t expect too much from yourself at first. Try 2 minutes a day every other day and build a habit from there.
Find a place with no distractions. For example, right after you wake up or in your bedroom before going to bed.
Try heart rhythm meditation. Place your finger on your pulse, close your eyes, and adjust your breathing to your heart rate.
Try “box breathing” to focus your mind. Inhale for 4 beats, hold for 4 beats, exhale for 4 beats, hold for 4 beats, and repeat.