In the modern world where the pace of life increases constantly, the problem of stress and its elimination becomes one of the most important parts of people’s lives. As the workload and the use of technology rise, it turns into the need for stress management more urgently than before. The best way to confront stress though is through meditation and mindfulness. Here is how these techniques work towards stress and quality of life improvement.
Why Stress Management is Important
Stress is a force that works on both the easy-wear and tear of the body and the mind. The American Institute of Stress reveals that a significant share of 77% of workers suffer from stress affecting their health; while a quarter or 33% of them reported they work under extreme stress. Chronic stress if not well addressed might cause complications more so anxiety, depressing, heart diseases as well as a weakened immune system.
Stress management methods like Meditation and Mindfulness can go a long way and help in cutting the bad impacts of stress, building emotional strength and helping in procuring a peaceful state of mind.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a process of concentration with intent on excluding all other forms of influence from the mind. It has also been employed for the enhancement of mental health, and the prevention of stress for the last few centuries.
How Meditation Lower Stress Level
Meditation evokes parasympathetic stress whereas reducing the heart rate and the blood pressure.
Statistics: Sources reveal that MM practice can decrease stress response in up to 39% of patients from the group who sit for the practice.
Different Styles of Meditation in Dealing with Stress
1. Mindfulness Meditation: Often centers around the individuals’ ability to sit and watch their thoughts rather than engage with them.
2. Guided Meditation: Is a relaxation technique whereby the patient listens to a guide who assists him or her create positive visuals to ease the stressful nature of the task.
3. Transcendental Meditation: A resting and breathing exercise that also uses a continually repeated phrase.
Tip: Try starting out with at least 10 minutes each day, and then progressing to further amounts of time in order to achieve long-term improvements.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is also termed as awareness that is not invasive of judgment involving full attention to the inner self and outer environment. It makes the individual prepare their mode of handling a given situation without compromise on the kind of behavior that is displayed.
How Mindfulness Can Help to Combat Stress
In stress management, mindfulness stops you getting caught in cycles of negative thinking. Since the method involves staying in the present moment free from worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, the user will have no tendencies of worrying anymore about the future and stress evolving from the past events.
Statistic: Harvard Medical School states that one can see changes in stress and anxiety level with the use of mindfulness that takes about 8 weeks.
Tip: It is possible to practice mindfulness in the simplest forms – while walking or cooking, even while doing dishes.
Real-World Example: Chapter IV will present A Case Study on Stress Management
One of the case studies involved a young, highly performing manager at a Fortune 500 firm who was suffering from acute stress and sleep disorders. By the time he started practicing meditation and mindfulness and kept adopting them into his daily lifestyle, he devised a questionnaire to establish the level of stress experienced and the quality of sleep and realized that he had reduced the level of stress he experienced by 45% after two months. First of all, he became more productive at work; secondly, he improved relationships with workers and other people around him, and thirdly, his relationships with family members.
The Role of Technology in Stress Management
With advancements in technology, there are several apps available to help you practice meditation and mindfulness on the go:
1. Headspace: Even beginner’s meditation classes are available here.
2. Calm: Has guided breathing and meditation, sleep mode tales.
3. Insight Timer: Includes various kinds of meditations to reduce stress levels.
Conclusion
Meditation and mindfulness in order to cope with stress are effective to prevent and reduce health risks and improve the quality of life. Therefore, introducing these practices in your daily practice, will help you to develop a quiet mind, reduce stress, and develop better emotional strength. Stress management does not mean the disappearance of stress from people’s lives, instead, it means going through life challenges in reasonable and healthy ways.