You’ve seen the pictures before – A woman sitting cross-legged, her hands gently resting on her knees. She looks so peaceful. Ooooom.
You can attain this with a few simple steps!
Changing one’s focus to more meditative mindfulness can help improve our mental clarity, emotional intelligence, and ability to relate to others with kindness, acceptance, and compassion. Sign me up!
During stressful times it can feel like we are always in flight or fight mode. Kinda feels like we are being chased by a lion all day. This can play havoc on our health and add to menopausal stress which can contribute to memory loss, weight gain, and overall aging. Oy!
According to the American Heart Association, stress may contribute to poor health behaviors linked to increased risk for heart disease and stroke, such as overeating, lack of physical activity, back strain, stomach pains, zapped energy, lack of sleep, and make you feel cranky and out of control. Sound familiar?!?!?!
Luckily, calming your heart can seriously quiet all that stress buzzing through your mind. Here is where mindfulness and meditation enter the picture!
When we relax, our heart rate slows down. But when we meditate, the interval between each heartbeat changes and becomes smoother. That interval between each beat is called Heart Rate Variability (or HRV), and smoothing it out is what lets those Yogi masters live longer. In fact, in 2010, the American Journal of Cardiology reported that maintaining a healthy HRV as we age actually predicts longevity!”
So now that you are motivated to meditate, here are three quick and easy meditations from Andy Puddicombe, founder of GetSomeHeadSpace.com, for finding menopausal bliss:
On the road: Flip road rage the bird! Sit up straight and focus on your butt pressing against the seat. Start by listening to the sounds around you—the wheels on the road, the purr of the motor—then focus on each of your other senses for a minute. Next, tune into them all, letting them come together in your mind like the parts of an orchestra. And here’s the key: Instead of seeing yourself as being affected (aka stressed) by it, think about how you are a part of this ever-changing environment.
During lunch: Do you eat your lunch—or inhale it? If you’re busy (and who isn’t?), lunch can become another thing you multitask. Instead, consider being a bit more mindful of your meal. Before digging in, spend a few minutes doing nothing, just relaxing and leaving the day’s stress behind. Then, make like an “Iron Chef” judge and pay attention to what you’re eating. How does the food taste and feel in your mouth? How does it make you feel?
In bed: Lie in bed with your eyes closed (easy!). Now, rather than pass out (or toss and turn if that’s more your style), breathe deeply. Starting at your toes—and working all the way to the tip of your noggin, focus on each body part. Relax each muscle like you’re powering down your phone before a flight. (This really works – I’ve been doing it for years. You can do this at your desk, too!)
You don’t need to have candles and incense lit to meditate. You can take a no-frills approach to meditation; it can become part of many happier, healthier, and stress-free days to come.
Remember: Suffering in silence is OUT! Reaching out is IN!
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*EllenDolgen.com does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about any tests, studies, practices, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, healthcare providers, physicians, or medical institutions that may be mentioned or referenced.
