Why Mindfulness and Meditation Should Be A Focus
.Caring for the whole body goes beyond just outward appearances. The wellness of all parts of the body puts the body and soul at rest. Recently, there has been a call for individuals to pay closer attention to their mental state.
Statistics as per nami.org revealed that as of 2017, 7.7 million United States Youths were diagnosed with a mental disorder, while as of 2020, 52.9 million people which represents one in five adults in the United States were diagnosed to have at least one mental disorder.
With numbers like this, it has become increasingly important to keep a close eye on one’s state of mind. Recently, a lot of body and mind wellness programs have emerged as a result of the increasing need to care for the mind.
There have also been several ways recommended by specialists and experts to care for the mind. Some of these include meditation and mindfulness.
Meditation and Mindfulness
These are two words that are often thought to mean the same thing by several individuals. Yes for a fact, they share a relationship, however, they actually mean different things.
Over the years, across diverse cultures, religions, and traditions, meditation has existed as an ancient practice and possesses certain levels of “spiritual sentiments”.
Meditation on one hand represents the ability to focus the mind on a particular thing, be it an object, a thought process, an image and what have you. Mindfulness on the other hand could be described as a subset of meditation and refers to the skill acquired during the process of meditation. It involves being able to refocus your thoughts on a current situation without letting the mind wander. Meditation could be of various types and involve several practices or techniques. Some of which are:
Conservative Meditation
This involves focusing on a particular thing alone while actively shutting out all other happenings in your environment. It often involves the use of visual imagery, objects, sounds and a host of other things that can attract and keep your attention.
Mindfulness Meditation
This on the other hand has to do with targeting a specific mental disorder like depression. It’s often used as a means of psychotherapy.
Tips For A Successful Meditation
- Consistency
Consistency in meditation is best achieved when there is a set time for daily practice. You must discipline your mind and body to get accustomed to a particular time of the day when you’d meditate. It builds a sense of urgency and responsibility on your part on your journey of meditation.
- Avoid over-pushing your mind
The human mind as we know it is fragile and needs to be handled carefully and as such, it is important at every step to take things slowly at first and then increase the intensity as time goes by.
Other helpful ways to care for the mind and focus include:
Boosters and supplements
With advancements in the medical sphere, it has become quite easy to find a drug or supplement for every health need. In this case, nootropic supplements usually containing DHA (docosahexaenoic acids) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acids) which are types of omega 3-fatty acids are used.
These compounds can often be found in substances like fish oils. Caffeine and creatine are also examples of other substances that serve as supplements for a healthier mind. There have also been cases of brain boosters coming in form of drinks, as in the case of Moment‘s stress relief drink.
Mental exercises
Under this category, individuals are often encouraged to participate in activities that help to focus the mind and increase brain function. Ranging from educational games or puzzles to recreational activities and a host of others that engage the mind and develop one’s ability to focus.