If you’re looking for ways to support your mental health, there are a bunch of options and services you can explore. Getting outside more, eating healthier, and establishing a consistent sleep routine can all make a difference. The mental health services at our Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center are designed to help, too. But if you’re looking for a simple, accessible option to try at home, you should know that meditation helps mental health in a meaningful way.
Meditation 101
Before we dig into the benefits of meditation, let’s take a step back and look at meditation itself.
Meditation gives you a way to train your awareness. You start by getting comfortable and relaxing. Then, try to drop into the moment. Don’t let your mind wander, but don’t try to banish all thoughts from your head, either. Instead, bring your attention to being here, now. Take some slow, deep breaths. Meditation isn’t a goal or outcome-focused practice. It’s all about bringing your attention to the moment so you can slow down and be present.
This seemingly simple act can do a lot for you. It helps to lower stress levels. It can make it easier to manage physical health conditions like high blood pressure, some types of chronic pain, and insomnia, too. Beyond that, a regular meditation practice can help you feel better mentally, too.
Ways meditation helps mental health
Meditation can help you feel calmer and more centered. With less stress and more present-mindedness, you might feel more grounded and in control of your emotions. This can help you manage the symptoms of mental health challenges.
In fact, studies have specifically explored how meditation helps mental health. A systematic review and meta-analysis of a number of those studies concluded that meditation helped people with anxiety achieve better outcomes. Another review/meta-analysis found that not only did meditation help people with anxiety disorders, but it also made a difference for people with depression.
Beyond that, researchers are currently exploring how regular meditation can transform your brain, potentially supporting emotional regulation and memory processing. That research is still in its early phases, but the preliminary findings seem to further support the idea that meditation helps mental health.
Getting started with meditation
If you want to try meditation for yourself, it’s pretty easy. All you need to do is find a comfortable, quiet place to sit and set aside some time. To get started, you can check out this guide.
Using even a few minutes in your day to meditate can make a difference in your stress levels and your mental health. It’s a free, easy way to give yourself a boost.
All this said, meditation can be hard. If you notice that sitting with your thoughts only makes your symptoms worse, it’s time to talk to someone about them. Our therapists offer a range of mental health services at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center, from talk therapy to music and art therapy. If you want support to work on your mental wellness this year, get in touch with us.
