How a meditation practice could improve your overall wellbeing
When you are tired and exhausted a lot of the time it can leave you feeling anxious, wondering if you will ever feel like you again and get your energy back. The sad fact is that feeling anxious can make you feel even more tired than you already are and that’s no joke, as I know all too well.
You may be thinking, “Melisa, do you really think meditation could help me to get some energy into my day?”
My answer to you is potentially yes, acknowledging that we are all individuals and different! There is loads of scientific research out there showing how beneficial meditation can be for reducing anxiety and stress and helping with memory, all problems associated with fatigue and chronic fatigue..
The good news is that meditating is not as difficult as you may think and, in this blog post, I will show you how meditation, as part of your recovery programme, could help you on the road to feeling more energised and more like you again.
What is meditation and importantly what isn’t.
Let’s start by debunking a few myths:
Perhaps some of these are the reason you tell yourself that meditation isn’t for you?
Myth 1 - You need to be flexible and sit in that weird, cross legged pose, don’t you?
Actually, you don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor – you can sit on a chair, lie on your sofa or even walk, whatever feels right for you..
Myth 2 – Who can spend hours on end sitting in that weird, cross legged pose trying to find themselves?
You don’t need to sit for hours trying to ‘find yourself’. Meditation practices can be effective when you just take 2 minutes out of your day to focus on your breath.
Myth 3 - I can’t empty my mind of thought, maybe meditation isn’t right for me?
It is impossible for most people to be able to empty their mind of thoughts. And no, you don’t need to be a certain type of person to meditate, it is open to everyone.
Myth 4 – It’s one of those New Age Hippy things with no real evidence behind it, isn’t it?
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years but studies are only now catching up on this ancient knowledge and showing the many benefits meditation can have on your health.
I bought into these myths myself and thought I wouldn’t be able to meditate, but after taking the plunge, I realised just what I had been missing for all those years and how it could have offered me the help I needed.
Is meditation really for me?
Taking time out for you
I wondered this too when I first started out, but I quickly realised it can be as simple as relaxing your body and your mind as much as you can.
It is taking some time for you, turning your attention inward and just observing how you are feeling mentally and physically.
It’s important to be kind to yourself, as some days it is easier than others.
Getting started - just take a breath
There’s lots of different types of meditation to try, but a good starting point, I think, is focussing on your breath. It doesn’t matter if your mind wanders (it will) just keep bringing that busy mend back to your breath and you may become aware of a sense of calmness after a minute or 2.
Let’s get visual
I like visualisation meditations, where you can take yourself to your special place or walking on a beach or through a wood listening to birdsong.
The options are endless and visualising yourself in a calm and peaceful surrounding can help you to feel calmer and more grounded.
Perhaps you have a special place you’d like to visit in your mind and that can bring a sense of peace and security at times when you may be feeling stressed.
Guided meditations can be easier when you are getting started and there’s lots of different options online.
How could meditation help me?
I think meditation can be very helpful to reduce tiredness, stress and anxiety. Science is backing this up too and there are loads of studies out there that show how meditation can help with lots of health conditions including reducing fatigue and help with memory.
It is now recognised as a powerful tool to help our feelings of wellbeing and is recommended by doctors and health professionals.
Here’s 3 ways meditation could help you to:
Bring some calm into your life
It could help with negative thoughts, anxiety and depression
This can only be a good thing in this stressful modern world, where everything seems to be at a frantic pace!
Become aware of your thoughts
Meditation could help you to feel calmer is by helping you to become more aware of your thoughts, noticing and observing them and identifying which are positive and those which may not be helpful. Meditation helps us to realise that thoughts are just that, thoughts, they are not us or who we are and we can just let them go and allow our mind to focus on the present.
Helping with anxiety
Many people with CFS can feel anxious, it’s understandable when you may be worried about your recovery. A 2013 trial showed that mindfulness meditation can help to reduce feelings of anxiety, by promoting a sense of peace and calmness and offering a different perspective.
2. Boost your Mental and physical health and your microbiome
A recent article published in the British Medical Journey, featured in Neuroscience News, says there could be a link between meditation and improved mental and physical health. A small study compared Tibetan monks to their secular neighbours and found a difference in the gut microbes of the monks. The researchers found that the monks had higher levels of ‘good’ bacteria that has been associated with the alleviation of mental health problems.
The researchers concluded that long term deep meditation could have an effect on the gut’s microbiome, which has been shown to be so important for our overall health.
This backs up existing research that shows how meditation can support the gut brain axis influencing the immune system and the stress response.
3. Get on top of stress
Not only has meditation been shown to reduce the feelings of stress, but it has also been shown to help us in the way we react to stress. Meditation gives us the tools that help us better deal with stress and a 2013 study showed that meditation helped to decrease our reaction to stress.
Meditation has also been shown to reduce the stress hormone, cortisol and symptoms associated with stress such as tension and anxiety. I find meditation a real support when I am feeling under pressure, it can help me to see things differently and help me to feel a little calmer too.
4. Get a better night’s sleep
Stress has been shown to be able to disrupt our sleep patterns, so by reducing stress we could promote a better night’s sleep. This could be a real support to you if insomnia or sleep disruption is causing your fatigue or is one of your unwelcome CFS symptoms.
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
It’s standing the test of time
Ayurveda, the Indian medicine system, has known about the benefits of meditation for thousands of years but studies are only now catching up on this ancient knowledge and showing the many benefits meditation can have on your health.
Ayurveda uses meditation alongside a healthy diet, yoga, mindfulness, breathing practices and herbal medicine to help the body to regain its vitality and strength.
I have personally found that taking a holistic approach to my overall physical and mental wellbeing to be so helpful in reducing tiredness and recovering from a chronic condition like chronic fatigue.
Go on, give it a go
I hope this article has given you the inspiration and courage to give meditation a go. It really is a very well tried and tested practice that has stood the test of time.
I hope I have been able to debunk the myths and show you that meditation can be a quick and easy practice that you can incorporate into your day. I now wouldn’t be without it, a little peace and calm in my life everyday makes such a difference.
I personally think meditation is a wonderful tool to have in your tool box to help you to feel better again; have you been inspired to give it a go?
If so, here’s a short 5 minute guided meditation that may help you to feel calmer and more relaxed.
Guided visualisation meditation that may help you feel calmer and more relaxed.
Your top 5 takeaways
Meditation is accessible to everyone – it can be as short as a couple of minutes, it doesn’t need to be a lengthy practice.
Meditation has been used in many cultures for thousands of years and has been extensively studies by scientific researchers.
Research is showing that meditation can influence your gut’s microbiome and in turn support your mental health.
Researchers have observed that meditation can help to reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety and promote sleep.
Meditation can help us to observe our thoughts and let go of negative thoughts more easily, helping our mental health and wellbeing
Have you been inspired but feel you need some support?
As someone who used meditation alongside food and herbal medicine to support my recovery, I am in a unique position to understand what you may be feeling. I am committed to supporting your recovery by providing you with a safe space where you will not feel like you are being judged but will be treated with care and empathy.
I help people on a one to one basis, to provide the dedicated and tailored support you need to help you feel more like the naturally energised you once again.
If you’d like to discuss how working together could help you to feel more energised, do get in touch. I offer a free 30 minute discovery call for us to chat about the help you are looking for and how I may be able to help you to feel like yourself again.