A Healthier Life Takes One Minute
Devin Burks
| 3 min read
When I hear the word meditation, I think about it as relaxation, as stress relief, and most definitely as something I don’t have time for. With a million and one things to do each day, it’s hard to fit in your schedule, you know?
You’ve got to pick up the kids, cook dinner, pack lunch, do laundry, clean the kitchen, watch your show, the list goes on and on. No, I don’t do about half of those things, but I still don’t have time to mediate every day; or at least I didn’t have time until I found a solution: one-minute meditation.
I know it sounds silly, what possible benefits could one minute of meditation have on your body? It’s just 60 seconds. Well, you’re in for a surprise. Fragrant Heart shares that one-minute meditation brings deep inner peace to the body and increases feelings of well-being. Martin Boroson from Oprah.com discusses how scientific research proves that this short increment of meditation can boost your immune system and improve regulation of stress hormones.
The list doesn’t stop there, one-minute meditation can also:
- Improve your mood
- Enhance your ability to empathize
- Have calming effects on anger and anxiety
- Help you cope with pain and depression
- Help with insomnia
- Decrease the likelihood of overeating
- Decrease anxiety
- Improve focus
Crazy, right? So, how do you do it? Well, first you set up a yoga mat, light five candles, dim the lights and sit crisscross-applesauce in the middle of the floor. No, I’m just joking. Fragrant Heart describes the process as being much easier. All you have to do is sit in a comfortable position, set an alarm for one minute, close your eyes, and focus only on your breathing. For one minute forget about every stress and worry. Just focus on your slow, rhythmic breathing. In, and out, in, and out.
Blogger Gabrielle Bernstein says, “one minute a day spent in stillness can change your life.” She introduces the Kundalini meditation practice that silences your mind and calms your energy. This is how it is done:
- Breathe in for five seconds
- Hold your breath for five seconds
- Release for five seconds
- Hold for five seconds
Repeat this for one minute and you’re done. Super easy!
I really encourage everyone to take a minute out of their day to meditate. The benefits are too great to miss out on, and for just one minute a day? Come on! Try the one-minute meditation for a week and leave a comment below sharing your experiences. How did it make you feel? Think about it this way, you probably took longer to read this post than you would to improve your health every day. I plan on incorporating it into my everyday regimen and maybe you will too! Let’s do it together on our journey to a healthy lifestyle.
Photo Credit: Devin Burks, A Healthier Michigan (feature)
