How to Meditate, Feel Calm and Ease Anxiety

| 28 JUN 22

When you are going through personal difficulties or trying times, you may be experiencing increased feelings of anxiousness and stress, which is a completely normal response.

It’s times like these when we all need to pull together and help each other as much as we can, and sometimes staying calm under these circumstances is easier said than done, but acknowledging the simplest forms of self-care can be a great start!

This is where we start to talk about meditation and the wonderful benefits it can bring when you need to bring a little calm back into your life. If you haven’t tried meditation before, don’t panic – it’s not as ‘far left’ as you think. It has amazing benefits and the biggest upside is you don’t need any equipment – just you. Anyone with children, the concept of ‘just you’ doesn’t quite exist, however even if you can find 10 minutes of alone time can really help.

For anybody who's new to meditation, let's start with the basics:

What is it?

Meditation is about training the mind and improving your attention and awareness. What we hope to gain from meditation is an increased ability to be more present in our everyday lives and less distracted. Otherwise known as being mindful.

What is it good for?

Meditation has been shown to help:

How do you do it?

Step 1.Simply get in a comfy spot and prepare yourself to sit still for a few minutes. You can meditate anywhere that suits you in that moment. Inside, outside, on the floor, on a chair etc.

Step 2. Start by bringing the focus to your breath, breathing in and out. Feelings and thoughts will pop up, perhaps the inevitable question ‘Am I doing this right?’. Notice these thoughts arising, let them pass and then come back to focusing on your breath.

Step 3. When the amount of time that you set yourself to mediate has passed you can end your mediation. Quickly check in to see how you feel, do you feel a sense of calm? Hopefully you do, but if not then don’t give up, meditation is all about practice. Let whatever you’re feeling guide the rest of your day and allow your sense of calm to remain present.

Apps we like:

Headspace – we love this app, so make sure to take a look at their website for more information about meditation or download their app for free guided meditations.
Calm app – for helping you stress less, sleep more and live better.
Remente – an app that ensures you give yourself the self-care you need. From goal setting and mood journaling, this holistic app helps improve your overall well-being.
Portal - Whether you’re struggling to focus at work, feeling anxious or need help winding down at night, Portal provides a beautiful and unique way to help you relax by playing some of nature’s most relaxing sounds. From waves crashing on a beach to the rustling of palm tree leaves, there’s a sound for everyone.

How to be consistent with your practice

Set time aside each day to practice. 5 or 10 minutes is all you need. Meditation is a skill and with practice the longer you will find you can meditate for.
Try meditating in different places
Try to notice as much as possible, really focus on the daily things you do that you might not otherwise notice.

What the Biona team think

Meditation isn’t for everyone, but it’s worth a try – it’s free, convenient and has hundreds of success stories for people over the world who attribute their improved mental health and awareness to their practice.

Here at Biona HQ, we're big advocates of self-care. Whether it's through yoga or eating well, we all encourage each other to put aside some time for ourselves to do what we enjoy.

Other ways to look after our mental health:

Meditation isn’t the only thing we can do to look after our mental health, if it’s not for you, take a look at our other suggestions for keeping a happy and healthy mind:

Stay hydrated & eat well – don’t overlook the basics, make sure to drink plenty of water and eat your 5 (or 10) a day.
Stay connected – use apps like Zoom for video conferencing with your work team or Facetime with your friends and family.
Reach out if you need help – If you’re feeling low reach out to someone you trust.
Read a book – get lost in a good story.
Do something you’re good at – whether that be playing an instrument, cooking, dancing or even sorting something out you’ve been putting off for a while.
Show your love to others – this is a great way of feeling good about yourself.