How to stop feeling stressed within 5 minutes? Meditate. There you go that’s the short answer but if you want the explanation, keep reading…

Taking time out for just 5 minutes (do it longer for added benefits) to meditate acts like a reset for your brain. You’ll feel less stressed, you can think clearer, faster and deal with a higher load of work. Meditation has been proven to decrease heart rate, blood pressure, rate of breathing, and muscle tension. So why does this happen? Well, there are many theories, some of them being the ability to lower stress hormones like cortisol, reducing ‘monkey mind’ and channeling your thoughts helps to reduce confusion (which causes indecision and stress), then other studies show that it decreases inflammation at a cellular level! Check out the references below to find out more…

So how do you do it effectively? Well, there are many ways as you’re probably aware and if you’re worried about having to chant OM in the hills avoiding the local farm life, you don’t need to do that either. The easiest ways to meditate are the ones that work for you and we’re all different. Personally, I take 20 minutes out of my schedule to lay on the floor (could be the park, living room floor etc) and concentrate on slow diaphragmatic breathing while listening to a piece of music with no beat. If the music has a beat, it normally throws you off a bit. Focusing on the breathing will help you take your mind off the many things that’ll fly into your head. After this, you’ll be very surprised at how focused and energised you feel… I totally recommend it and don’t forget to try different methods to find the one that works for you!

Stay focused

Rupert Hambly

References:
http://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2003&issue=07000&article=00014&type=Fulltext

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811909000044

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/str/12/2/164/