Mindfulness and Meditation

Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation

Mainstream media is full of information about mindfulness and meditation and how it can help to decrease anxiety, improve focus and improve sleep. Many survivors of autoimmune encephalitis describe feelings of anxiety, depression, an inability to multi-task and feelings of being overwhelmed as a result of acquired brain injury. Having an autoimmune disease of any kind can cause increased stress making it more challenging to heal.

Research shows that meditation can help you to slow down your heart rate, help to decrease stress, improve sleep, improve immunity, balance the nervous system, and can help to re-train the brain to be more focused and alert. Taking the time to slow down and focus on one thing at a time in our busy, fast-paced world is a good place to start.

How to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is one of the simplest forms of meditation. Mindfulness means taking the time to notice, and appreciate small things around us. You can practice mindfulness while walking, sitting or doing daily tasks such as breathing, eating, or doing simple activities of daily living. Simply observe and appreciate your surroundings. Whether you are sitting in the garden or taking a stroll through a forest, if you consciously clear your mind of distracting thoughts, like the endless to-do lists or daily worries, you will reap the benefits of a mindfulness practice.

By doing something simple like focusing on the breath, you can slow down your heart rate, and bring more focus to your mind. Mindfully paying attention to the breath, notice the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe, and deliberately try to slow down the pace of your breathing, release any tension in your shoulders, and notice any sensations in your body. I think you will find that this has a calming and healing effect on the body and brain. When distracting thoughts pass through your mind, don’t judge or become involved in them, just let them pass.

When out in nature, try listening to the sounds of the birds and squirrels flitting around the trees, breathing in the smells of the damp leaves and pungent pine trees, and appreciating the feel of the breeze on your face. That is mindfulness in a nutshell and an easy thing to practice when out for a walk.

You can practice mindfulness while folding laundry or chopping vegetables for dinner - simply focus your attention on the task at hand and notice the texture of the clothing that you’re folding, or the colours, textures and smell of the vegetables that you are chopping.

How to Start a Meditation Practice

Ready to begin exploring a meditation practice? When starting a seated or lying down meditation practice, choose someplace to sit or lie comfortably. It’s not uncommon for someone new to meditation to report that they always fall asleep, so I recommend sitting or lying in a place where you do not usually sleep. With time and practice, you will learn how to quiet your mind without drifting off to sleep. I like to sit with my feet up, either indoors or outdoors (depending on the season), someplace where I have a view of nature. For me, nature is a balm and this is an added benefit. Others like to set up an area of their home with soft pillows, low light, a nice plant, maybe some candles or aromatherapy and soothing music. Really, wherever you feel comfortable and can sit uninterrupted, is the right place to meditate.

In recent years, numerous apps have been developed, and many offer meditations for free. Some popular apps include Calm, Headspace, Chopra and Insight Timer. You’ll find meditations of different lengths - varying from a short 5 minute reset to a meditation lasting 60 minutes or more. There are meditations that focus on more restful sleep, decreasing anxiety, managing stress, breathing, etc. Some are guided meditations, some have soothing background music or soundscapes like waves on the beach, some include daily or weekly challenges, and some are suited specifically to children. It can be overwhelming to start a meditation practice as there is so much content out there. My advice is to dip your toe in and start exploring. Take your time to find what you like.

Meditation IS a Practice

It’s quite common to feel distracted with intrusive thoughts while trying to meditate. Thoughts like “what should I make for dinner”, “I wonder how my child is getting home from school”, “I have an itchy left foot”, etc. are not uncommon. This is often referred to as “monkey brain” because the random thoughts keep jumping around and distracting you from the present moment. With time and practice, it is possible to learn how to “quiet” a monkey brain. Some people find it useful to focus on the breath as they sit quietly and meditate. Anytime a distracting thought presents itself, you can try bringing your attention back to the breath and imagine that the distracting thought just floats by.

It is undeniable that, with practice, I have become more calm, focused and grounded since I started meditating daily, and incorporated mindfulness into my everyday life. I’ve seen improvements in my mood, memory, happiness, focus, and response to stress. I hope that you will give mindfulness a try and maybe even explore meditation. The benefits to your brain will be worth the effort.

It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it’s time I went for a walk……