Is mindfulness meditation (there's an app for it!) what's missing from our lives?

Think of a calm, happy place...

How do we reduce the amount of stress, worry and problems in our lives while improving our focus and relationships? A regular mindfulness practice through meditation, that's how. Or at least that's what actual meditators are saying, and science appears to be on their side (more on that in a bit).

But first, what is mindfulness meditation? It's a form of meditation where you sit still and tune into the present moment (you can use breathing techniques, music or voice guidance to help you along). The goal is then to allow your thoughts to come and go as they please without judging them, or trying to change them. It's said that by learning to become comfortable with ourselves exactly as we are, we gain wisdom and alleviate unnecessary suffering, pain and discomfort. The practice is far too complex for me to convey in a short blog post, so I encourage you to read this article in Psychology Today for a deeper understanding.

There have been a host of studies on the effects of meditation on the brain, and though I won't bore you with all of the results, I would like to highlight some findings:

*Neuroscientists have found that the brain physically changes when you continue to mediate.
*Mindfulness meditation activates the 'rest and digest' portion of our nervous system which helps with stress management.
*In people with clinical levels of anxiety, research found that 90 percent saw a reduction in their symptoms through meditation.
*Neuroscientists discovered it only takes 11 hours of meditation for practitioners to witness structural changes in the part of the brain that monitors focus and self control.

Pretty powerful stuff, right?

So naturally I could no longer resist the temptation to give this touted about cure-all a second try. But I knew I would need to ease into it slowly, for I think what initially turned me off meditation was the fact I was aiming to sit still for a whopping 30 minutes. I also knew I would need some help, which is where Headspace comes in.

Headspace is an application that bills itself as a personal trainer for your mind. To start, you get a series of 10 free 10 minute guided mediation sessions with a man whose accented voice is guaranteed to make you swoon -- and relax. You're supposed to do them consecutively, and then you can either repeat the 10 sessions, or purchase lengthier and/or more targeted mediation packages.

I'm currently doing my 10 initial sessions for a second time in a row, and I've already noticed an improvement in my sleep. I've also found myself slightly better able at quelling anxious thoughts. Headspace has lifted any pretentiousness associated with meditation, and has made having a daily practice easily accessible (as long as you have your phone, you can meditate). I plan on sticking with it and seeing if it really is the "solution". In any case, a less anxious me is a good start.

Do you meditate? How do you go about your practice? I'm curious to learn more so please share your thoughts with me.

xoxo

Val