Calm Your Anxiety With Meditation

Meditation is a powerful tool for managing anxiety. It can help to slow down racing thoughts, decrease negativity, and calm both the mind and body. Research has shown that meditation can be particularly effective for people with anxiety who often worry about the past or future, as it helps them to focus on the present moment.

There are many different types of meditation that can help to ease anxiety, including mindfulness meditation, deep belly breathing, mantra meditation, and breath-based meditation.

Meditation can also help to counter the stress response, leading to a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen consumption. This can have a calming effect and help to reprogramme neural pathways in the brain, improving our ability to regulate emotions.

While meditation can be a helpful tool for managing anxiety, it is not a cure-all. It is important to combine it with other strategies such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating balanced meals, and staying connected to supportive people.

Focus on breathing

Focusing on your breath is one of the simplest ways to meditate away anxiety. This technique is called "breath meditation" and it can help you relax and become more mindful.

Find a Comfortable Position

You can sit, stand, walk, or lie down—whichever you prefer. Many people find sitting to be the best position. If you are sitting, try to keep your spine erect. You can also place your hands on your knees or rest them on your lap. The key is to find an alert and comfortable position.

Focus Your Attention on Your Breath

Bring your attention to the natural sensations of breathing. Observe the air moving in and out of your body. Notice how your chest and abdomen rise and fall with each breath. You can also pay attention to the touch of the air as you breathe in and out through your nose.

Don't Try to Control Your Breath

Let your breath come and go naturally. It doesn't matter if your breaths are short and shallow or long and deep. Simply observe the full cycle of each breath, from the beginning of the inhalation to the end of the exhalation.

Acknowledge Your Thoughts

Thoughts and distractions may enter your mind as you try to focus. This is natural and okay. Simply acknowledge these thoughts without judgment and gently return your attention to your breath. You don't need to suppress or respond to these thoughts. Just observe them and let them pass.

Practice Regularly

Breath meditation can be done anytime you feel stressed. To create a meditation practice, try to meditate at the same time every day. Start with shorter sessions of 10 minutes in the morning and evening, and gradually increase the duration to 20 or 30 minutes.

Benefits of Breath Meditation

Breath meditation is a simple yet powerful technique that can help you manage anxiety and stress. It allows you to focus on the present moment, reducing worries about the past or future, which are common among people with anxiety. Regular practice can lead to a more mindful and relaxed state of mind, improving your overall well-being.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Leading expert Jon Kabat-Zinn describes it as "awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally".

How Mindfulness Helps with Anxiety

Mindfulness helps you learn to stay with difficult feelings without analysing, suppressing, or encouraging them. When you allow yourself to feel and acknowledge your worries, they often dissipate. Mindfulness also allows you to safely explore the underlying causes of your stress and worry. By going with what’s happening rather than expending energy fighting or turning away from it, you create the opportunity to gain insight into what’s driving your concerns.

How to Practice Mindfulness Meditation

Find a Comfortable Position

You may prefer sitting with your legs crossed, sitting with your legs outstretched, sitting upright in a chair, or lying on your back. Find a position that feels comfortable enough that you won't be distracted by your body, but not so comfortable that you might fall asleep.

Bring Your Awareness to the Present

Once you're sitting comfortably in a quiet area, start focusing your attention inward. Close your eyes and begin with your breathing. Simply notice your breathing pattern, but don’t try to change it; this will help bring your awareness to the present moment. If you notice your mind wandering, bring your attention back to your breath.

Acknowledge Your Thoughts

Initially, meditating can increase feelings of anxiety or self-judgment. Am I doing this right? What should I be doing? Rather than trying to suppress that inner dialogue, recognize it and wait for it to pass. This will help you learn how to sit with uncomfortable thoughts without responding. Over time, you may feel less anxious and experience more inner peace.

Finish Your Meditation

When your meditation feels complete or you've reached your desired time, open your eyes. Gradually come out of your meditation with some gentle stretches. Take some time to reflect on your practice.

Tips

• It can be hard to keep track of time during meditation. If you're worried about going over your designated time, consider using an alarm or timer that has a gentle sound.
• It may be challenging to start a meditation practice, from finding the time and space in a busy schedule to facing fearful, judgmental thoughts that can cause anxiety. With consistency—even just a few minutes each day—you can find the practice that's right for you and see a decrease in anxiety and panic symptoms.
• Mindfulness meditation can be done at any time of day. You may find that meditating when you wake up helps you reduce morning anxiety, or perhaps you find that meditating in the evening allows you to get a better night’s rest. Try different times of day to determine what suits you best.

Mantra meditation

Choosing a Mantra

The first step is to choose a mantra that resonates with you and your intentions. "Om" is a simple yet powerful mantra that is believed to bring spiritual benefits and creative power. Alternatively, you could try the traditional Tibetan Buddhist mantra, "Om Mani Padme Hum", which is said to channel kind and compassionate energies. If you wish to focus specifically on overcoming anxiety and fear, you can try chanting "Great Noble Tara" or "Green Tara" to invoke the Goddess associated with granting wishes, eliminating suffering, and bringing happiness.

Practicing Mantra Meditation

Once you have chosen your mantra, find a quiet and comfortable space where you can be free from distractions and interruptions. You may wish to sit on the floor with your legs crossed, or choose another position that allows you to be alert yet relaxed. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to the present moment by focusing on your breath. Then, begin reciting your chosen mantra, repeating it as you work your way through your prayer beads. Allow the mantra to carry you into a deeper state of meditation, letting go of anxious thoughts and negative energies.

Benefits of Mantra Meditation for Anxiety

Sample Mantras for Anxiety

• "Feel the fear and do it anyway."
• "Other people feel this too."
• "This too shall pass."
• "I am peace. I am calm. Breathe."
• "I am stronger than I think."
• "It's only a moment."
• "You are bigger than your fear."
• "I am strong enough to get through this."

Body scans

Body Scan Meditation

Body scan meditation is a mindfulness practice that involves mentally scanning your body from head to toe (or vice versa) to observe sensations, aches, or tension points without judgment. It is a way to increase awareness of your body and assess how you're feeling, helping to reconnect you with your physical and emotional self.

How to Perform a Body Scan Meditation:

• Get comfortable: You can perform a body scan anywhere, even on the go. But when starting out, it is best to lie down or sit comfortably.
• Focus on your breath: Take a few deep breaths. Breathe slowly through your nose and then out through the mouth. Let your shoulders drop, and get settled into your body.
• Choose where to start: You can begin your scan anywhere on your body—the top of your head, left foot, right hand, or right foot.
• Scan your body: Focus on that spot as you continue breathing slowly and deeply, then move on to another part of your body. Pay attention to sensations of pain, tension, discomfort, or anything out of the ordinary.
• Go slow: Spend anywhere from 20 seconds to 1 minute observing these sensations. Acknowledge any emotions that arise without criticism.
• Breathe and release: Continue breathing, imagining the tension leaving your body with each breath. Then, slowly release your focus on that body part and move on to the next area.
• Continue the exercise: Work your way up or down your body in a way that makes sense to you.
• Note drifting thoughts: It is normal for your mind to wander during this practice. Gently bring your attention back to the body scan whenever you notice your thoughts drifting.
• Visualize and breathe: Once you've scanned your entire body, let your awareness travel across your body as a whole. Visualize this as liquid filling a mold while continuing to inhale and exhale slowly.
• Come back: Slowly release your focus and bring your attention back to your surroundings.

Benefits of Body Scan Meditation:

• Reduces stress and anxiety: Body scan meditation can help identify stressors and promote emotional balance by encouraging you to be present and aware of your feelings.
• Improves sleep quality: Regular practice can improve sleep quality, which is important for stress and anxiety reduction.
• Enhances self-awareness: By improving awareness of your body, it helps you recognize and respond to internal signals.
• Identifies and relieves physical tension: It helps you become aware of physical discomfort connected to your emotional state, such as headaches, back pain, or tense muscles.
• Trains your nervous system to relax: Regular practice trains your nervous system to relax, making it easier to shift from the sympathetic "fight-or-flight" mode to the parasympathetic "rest-and-digest" mode.
• Improves emotional regulation: It helps you navigate the ups and downs of life by making you more aware of your feelings, so they feel less overwhelming.

Remember, body scan meditation is a simple practice that anyone can do. It does not require any special equipment or extensive training, just a quiet space and an open mind.

Binaural beats

Research suggests that binaural beats can be an effective way to reduce anxiety and improve sleep. In one study, participants who listened to binaural beats for at least 20 minutes a day for two weeks reported a 26% reduction in anxiety. Another study found that participants who listened to binaural beats before surgery experienced reduced preoperative anxiety.

To use binaural beats, you will need a pair of stereo headphones and an audio recording of binaural beats, which can be found online or through a mobile app. It is recommended to listen to the binaural beats for at least 30 minutes each day in a comfortable place free of distractions. You can experiment with the length of time to find what works best for you.

While binaural beats have been shown to be effective for some people, it is important to note that research on their clinical benefits is still inconclusive. Binaural beat therapy is not part of standard care for any condition and should not replace traditional treatments for stress and anxiety.

Frequently asked questions