How morning meditation boosts your mental health in tough times
Tags: Mental Health, Morning Routines, Meditation In India, Meditation

How you start your morning sets the tone for the day. One way to start your day, especially in tough times, is by practicing meditation. Meditating in the morning can help your mind feel rested and free from stress and worries. By keeping aside a few minutes for morning meditation, you set yourself up for a calm, stress-free and productive day.

To turn practicing meditation into a daily habit, the first step is to decide how much time you want to devote. For instance, if you’re a beginner, meditating every day for 30 minutes would be difficult for you. The amount of focus you need to develop for longer sessions only comes with time and practice. So, start small. Allocate five to ten minutes every day, and then gradually increase the duration, depending on what feels right for you.

If you’re still wondering whether or not to include meditation in your morning routine, here are a few benefits that can help make your decision easy.

Sharpens your focus

Focus is the ability to pay attention to one thing without getting wavered, which can be difficult when you are surrounded by distractions. But when you start your day with morning meditation, you get the time to understand your body and mind. Having 10 minutes of silence and stillness each morning allows your mind to focus on the things that matter to you. You learn how to concentrate on one thing despite the distractions you might have.

Cultivates empathy

Empathy is one of the building blocks of healthy relationships. When we can see something from another person’s point of view, we are better equipped to connect on a deeper level. This is a quality that can be nurtured and learned through meditation because you increase empathy by expanding self-awareness. Morning meditation helps you become aware of your emotions, making you more adept at empathizing with the emotions of others.

Helps you ‘switch on’ your mind

When you meditate, especially in the morning when your mind is fresh, it increases your ability to stay focused and mindful throughout the day. It brings a sense of calmness to your mind by keeping the things that draw your attention at bay. You can move through your day with awareness and confidence and make better decisions at work.

Makes you enthusiastic and fills you with energy

When you practice meditation in the morning, you feel more alert and awake. It relaxes your mind which in turn triggers the release of hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. This cocktail of chemical flooding in your bloodstream can leave you feeling happy, calm, and energized.

Counteracts stress and anxiety

Meditation, in its simplest form, is all about learning how not to lose your focus. When practiced in the morning, it can help you slow down your thoughts and bring inner peace. According to a study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, meditation can also help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain. Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, says that mindfulness meditation makes perfect sense for treating anxiety. She further states that it reduces amygdala reactivity, which is the part of the brain responsible for your stress response.

Prepares you for the day

Most of us start our days fighting with our alarm clocks, refusing to leave the bed. This attitude causes a ripple that can affect the rest of your day. But when you take the time to meditate in the morning, even if it’s only for five minutes, you give your mind a chance to wake up and prepare before you dive into your tasks. You feel an immediate mood boost, and your body feels prepared to tackle the challenges of day. This ritual empties your mind of the residual thoughts from the previous day, hence making room for fresh new ideas.