{"id":4008,"date":"2023-05-22T02:45:04","date_gmt":"2023-05-21T19:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/micro-meditation-methods-for-quick-bursts-of-calm\/"},"modified":"2023-05-22T02:45:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-21T19:45:04","slug":"micro-meditation-methods-for-quick-bursts-of-calm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4008","title":{"rendered":"Micro-Meditation Methods for Quick Bursts of Calm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">A<\/span>ny given day, your attention can be pulled in a hundred different directions. Depending on how much you\u2019re juggling, you may find yourself grasping for some outlet for stress relief. Mindfulness practices have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/topics\/mindfulness\/meditation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/topics\/mindfulness\/meditation\">scientifically-backed benefits for physical and mental health<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/yoga\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/yoga\/\">yoga class<\/a> or extended meditation sessions could do wonders, but sometimes even that feels like too much time to give up. The good news is that sprinkling micro-meditations throughout your day can give you a much needed feeling of calm, no matter how packed your schedule is, without requiring you to block out much time on your calendar.<\/div>\n<h2>What are micro-meditations, and how do they differ from longer meditations?<\/h2>\n<p>Micro-meditations are basically just shorter meditation sequences. They range in type, and can include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\">breathwork<\/a>, visual meditations, or any mindfulness practice you enjoy, just bite sized. In general, micro-meditations range from about one to five minutes long, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/about-susan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/about-susan\/\">Susan Chen<\/a>, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/meditatewithsusan.com\/\">Susan Chen Vedic Meditation<\/a> in New York. They are also a great way to get acquainted with meditation if you&#8217;re not familiar, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/when-meditation-doesnt-work\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/when-meditation-doesnt-work\/\">can&#8217;t concentrate<\/a> during a longer meditation, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-meditation-style-wellness-needs\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/best-meditation-style-wellness-needs\/\">haven&#8217;t found the right method<\/a> yet, Chen adds. &#8220;There&#8217;s not just one type of meditation out there, and these micro-meditations are a really great way to begin,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/\" current-title=\"How To Use Micro-Meditations To Find a Moment of Presence and Calm Wherever You Are\" current-image=\"GettyImagesMicroMeditation-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2022-11-21\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But when we say micro, we\u2019re not talking about diminished benefits\u2014just length. There are many well-established <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nccih.nih.gov\/health\/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nccih.nih.gov\/health\/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know\">benefits of meditation<\/a>, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/meditation-inflammation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/meditation-inflammation\/\">lowering inflammation<\/a>, and even just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-long-should-you-meditate\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-long-should-you-meditate\/\">three minute meditations<\/a> are enough to bust stress and boost calm. You don\u2019t need to be an expert at meditating to reap the benefits, either; a 2019 study published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/behavioural-brain-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/behavioural-brain-research\"><em>Behavioural Brain Research<\/em><\/a> looked at what happened when adults who weren&#8217;t experienced meditators completed four weeks of 13 minute guided mindfulness meditations\u2014t<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30153464\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30153464\/\">hey reported being in a better mood, and feeling more attentive<\/a>. The study also found that &#8220;relatively short&#8221; meditation practices had similar benefits to longer, more intensive meditations.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The key here is quality, not quantity&#8230;if you take just a little time [to meditate] and fully invest your attention that would be more beneficial.&#8221;\u2014Viktoriya Karakcheyeva, MD, psychologist<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But adding one more thing into the day is easier said than done, so how do you go about fitting a micro-meditation into a busy schedule? Both Chen and <a href=\"https:\/\/rwc.smhs.gwu.edu\/resiliency-well-being-center-staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/rwc.smhs.gwu.edu\/resiliency-well-being-center-staff\">Viktoriya Karakcheyeva, MD<\/a>, director of behavioral health at the <a href=\"https:\/\/rwc.smhs.gwu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/rwc.smhs.gwu.edu\/\">Resiliency and Well-Being Center<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/smhs.gwu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/smhs.gwu.edu\/\">George Washington University\u2019s School of Medicine &amp; Health Sciences<\/a>, recommend trying a quick meditation whenever you have some spare minutes to focus\u2014just be sure to do so when you\u2019re able to devote your full attention to reap the benefits. \u201cThe key here is quality, not quantity,\u201d says Dr. Karakcheyeva. &#8220;You can meditate for a long time without being too invested and it may not produce results, but if you take just a little time and fully invest your attention that would be more beneficial.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>5 types of micro-meditations to try<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Alternate nostril breathing<\/h3>\n<p>Chen says she recommends this meditation to her students because it\u2019s easy and fast. Also known as <a href=\"https:\/\/m.youtube.com\/watch?v=l11qFpRqhIQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/m.youtube.com\/watch?v=l11qFpRqhIQ\">nadi shodhana<\/a>, alternate nostil breathing relies on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-breathwork-healing-work\/\">yoga principle called pranayama<\/a> to manage breath\u00a0by covering one nostril at a time and breathing. \u201cIt&#8217;s literally moving the breath away from the left to the right nostril in a systematic way,\u201d says Chen.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s how to do it:<\/strong> With your lips closed and tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth, place your right thumb on your right nostril and the middle or ring finger of the same hand on the left nostril. Close your right nostril and inhale through the left, then close the left nostril and exhale through the right. Then inhale through the right, and exhale through the left. Repeat this alternating pattern as many times as you want.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Staircase meditation<\/h3>\n<p>Breathwork meditations can help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6137615\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6137615\/\">calm the nervous system<\/a>, and Dr. Karakcheyeva has a short one for you to try that she calls &#8220;staircase meditation.&#8221; Imagine stacking your breaths on top of one another, which she likens to climbing a staircase: Inhale for one count, then exhale for one count. Next, inhale for two counts, then exhale for two counts. After that is\u2014you guessed it\u2014inhale for three counts, exhale for three counts. You can continue for as long as you want. Don&#8217;t strain yourself with this, though; go for as long as is comfortable. When you reach the top of your staircase, head back down by reducing the length of each inhale and exhale by a count until you get back to one.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Resonant breathing<\/h3>\n<p>This easy breathing technique has been shown to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8924557\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8924557\/\">improve mood and lessen anxiety by decreasing the heart rate<\/a>. It&#8217;s also almost comically simple to do: \u201cThe only requirement is exhaling for more seconds than you\u2019re inhaling,\u201d says Chen. To start, try inhaling for two seconds and exhaling for four, or inhaling for three seconds and exhaling for five. Repeat as many times as needed.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Visualization<\/h3>\n<p>This is a simple exercise that Dr. Karakcheyeva says pretty much anyone can do. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/visualization-meditation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/visualization-meditation\/\">Visual meditations<\/a> are all about picturing pleasing situations and images. One way Dr. Karakcheyeva practices this herself is to assign visuals like colors, shapes, temperatures, and textures to the physical and mental sensations she&#8217;s feeling when stressed.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let&#8217;s say you find yourself feeling uneasy and notice that your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/shoulder-blade-stretches\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/shoulder-blade-stretches\/\">shoulders feel tense and tight<\/a>. Try to assign some visuals to that feeling, so &#8220;you can start to manipulate [those feelings],&#8221; she says. &#8220;You can say, that tension in my shoulder looks like a red pulsating ball, and I&#8217;m going to try to change that color to something like a little less intense, like purple.&#8221; She recommends really focusing on these images to redirect your brain away from the stress.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Say a helpful mantra<\/h3>\n<p>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mantras-for-positive-energy\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/mantras-for-positive-energy\/\">words of affirmation<\/a> to put your mind at ease. Come up with a simple phrase, for example \u201cMay I be well, may I be healthy, may I be happy.\u201d When you need to ground yourself, simply take some deep breaths, and repeat your phrase as often as you need to. \u201cMaybe you\u2019re having a tough day and you\u2019re not sure when it\u2019s going to be over, so you can pause, notice what\u2019s going on, and say that mantra to give something good to yourself,\u201d says Dr. Karakcheyeva.<\/p>\n<p>Feel free to test out all of the above mini-meditation methods or find another that works for you like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/free-meditation-apps\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/free-meditation-apps\/\">meditation app<\/a>, for example. \u00a0And you don\u2019t have to wait until you\u2019re feeling stressed to use these techniques\u2014taking a few moments out of your day to practice mindfulness can have preventative effects too when it comes to mitigating stress and tension.<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Any given day, your attention can be pulled in a hundred different directions. Depending on how much you\u2019re juggling, you may find yourself grasping for some outlet for stress relief. Mindfulness practices have scientifically-backed benefits for physical and mental health, and yoga class or extended meditation sessions could do wonders, but sometimes even that feels &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4008\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}