Meditation for Stress Relief

Hello and welcome back to another week of healthy lifestyle tips. This week is a guest blog and my healthy lifestyle post will be coming from Luke Willkomm!

College can be a very fun time for students, but it also comes with the responsibility of classes. With classes, comes homework, and with homework comes stress. A lot of stress. This week, we are going to discuss the topic of stress relief in the field of meditation and the health benefits that can help you center every day in a positive light. I find that starting my day with even just 5 minutes of meditation to gather myself and not be frazzled by the laundry list of things I have to do that day, tremendously helps in my outlook and stress management.

Let’s start with the basics: What is meditation?

Meditation: “to think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.”

Not exactly the clearest definition of meditation. Meditation can look different for everyone depending on what their purpose is, but let’s focus on the word relaxing. Meditation can be anything from sitting in silence, prayer, focused breathing, but the key is to find what works for YOU.

So why meditate? Good question.

First and foremost, meditating reduces stress. Spending 5-10 to yourself lets your brain have a well-needed break from all that thinking you’re doing and may even provide some clarity for the problems that seem insurmountable.

Secondly, meditation can help you understand yourself a little better. What are you struggling with that never leaves your mind? Is it the stress of a day or something a little deeper than that?

Lastly, spending a little time to understand how you’re feeling can help your relationship with others. Taking time to have mental clarity lets you step out of situations and come back fresh, almost like a refresh button. This can help to avoid conflict, resolve problems, and even just have a happier outlook on life.

I know there is always an excuse for why you don’t have time to sit and do nothing but remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Meditation is not the only way to take care of your brain, but it definitely is an exercise that has tremendous benefits for your mental health and gets you on a path to a truly healthy lifestyle.

Hope this is helpful! Take care of yourself and stay healthy!