How do you usually feel when you wake up in the morning? Groggy? Tired? Exhausted? Well, there is an easy fix for that! Meditation early in the morning, as soon as you wake up, can release tension, stress and negative emotions in a matter of seconds.
Sometimes people can be reluctant to take the extra five minutes to meditate simply because the bed is more comfortable. However, a simple five minutes of meditation can have more relaxing effects on the mind and body than sleeping in an extra five minutes. Here is how:
1. Your attention is centred
When we wake up in the mornings, a million thoughts jumble around what we will eat, what we will wear, what will happen at work, school, etc. and immediately we are bombarded with a day’s responsibilities. When you take some time to divert your attention to your body and your mind, stress and anxiety immediately fall off of your shoulders. Anxiety usually arises when you are overwhelmed, and meditation teaches you to focus on one thing at a time. By focusing on your breathing, your body, or whatever else, you slow down those mile-a-minute thoughts and you are able to start the day off strong.
2. You create space in your mind
Some of our responsibilities consist of being creative and thoughtful human beings. But how can you be at your best when there is so much going on in your mind? That is why releasing that tension, that energy, first thing in the morning can help you to be at your best every single day. Emptying your mind just to focus on yourself, on the earth, on your body can be one of the best tools you bring with you to work or school every day.
3. You find the better version of yourself
Emotions can be elevated in the morning road rage, screaming kids, rushed clock and that leads to even more frustration and stress. Meditation calms down all high-intense emotions that you may have woken up with. This reduces your irritability first thing in the morning, increasing your patience, tolerance and optimism. Why hold on to anger, when you can breathe in joy, first thing in the morning?!
4. Your day runs smoothly
Once you meditate, you can carefully and thoughtfully organize your thoughts, keeping in mind all the tasks for the day. You can be organized without the extra load of tension. By taking off that early load, you make space for the important things, and you can tackle your day with a strong and peaceful mind.
So now that you know why meditation is important, let’s talk about the how. There are so many different ways to meditate, and you aren’t limited to sitting on the floor with your legs crossed.
- Go outside: By being in a fresh and open environment, you can release that tension into the open and receive a fresh breath of air. You can just stand there with your eyes closed, breathing, relaxing each muscle in your body, staring at the sky. There is no limit.
- Position your body in an upright manner: Slouching won’t relieve that stress. By sitting or standing upright, you open your body up to relaxation and you engage your muscles, getting the blood flowing. Stretch and allow your body to loosen up.
- Breathe in, breathe out: This is one of the most important things to remember: breathing. Let the air making its way in through your nose and out through your mouth. This cycle will calm you down and it will engage your senses. Maintain a steady rhythm.
- Music sets the tone: Use music if you don’t feel too happy. This can trigger the positive emotional response, replacing that negativity. Find some relaxing instrumentals, motivational speeches, or nature sounds. These sounds can aid your mornings if they aren’t the easiest to face.
- Do what works for you: If you don’t like to close your eyes, keep them open. If you don’t like to stand, sit. If you don’t like music, let silence be your sound. You know what you like, so allow yourself to find a balance and mood that best suits YOU. Silence your mind’s chaos with the tools that best work for you make yourself comfortable and relaxed.
By making this choice, you can change your life. Choose peace in the mornings.
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