{"id":6942,"date":"2023-08-29T00:33:25","date_gmt":"2023-08-28T17:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6942"},"modified":"2023-08-29T00:33:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T17:33:25","slug":"meditation-for-anxiety-can-help-ease-your-nerves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6942","title":{"rendered":"Meditation for Anxiety Can Help Ease Your Nerves"},"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>nxiety is a part of life\u2014and now more than ever, it seems. Case in point: More than two in five women in the U.S. will be <a href=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/find-help-for\/women\/anxiety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/find-help-for\/women\/anxiety\">affected by an anxiety disorder<\/a> in their lifetimes, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/\">Anxiety and Depression Association of America<\/a> (ADAA). To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/work-related-anxiety-triggers\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/work-related-anxiety-triggers\/\">work through anxiety<\/a>, many people find that medication, therapy, self-care practices, or a combination of these can help manage symptoms in their day-to-day lives. One self-care practice, in particular, that seems to be especially helpful is guided meditation for anxiety.<\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/lifestance.com\/our-leadership-team\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/lifestance.com\/our-leadership-team\">Anisha Patel-Dunn, DO<\/a>, therapist and chief medical officer at LifeStance Health <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/jeffwarren.org\/about\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jeffwarren.org\/about\/\">Jeff Warren<\/a>, Jeff Warren is a meditation expert who writes \u201cThe Daily Trip\u201d for Calm. He is also the co-author, along with Dan Harris and Carlye Adler, of \u201cMeditation for Fidgety Skeptics.\u201d <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<p>Guided meditations help take some of the stress out of regular meditation, as they show listeners the way. So, if you find it challenging to sit quietly with your thoughts, but you\u2019ve been hoping to learn how to relax your mind and relieve anxiety, guided meditation can help. Eager to learn more? Keep reading to uncover the benefits of meditation, the ideal meditation length, and more.<\/p>\n<h2>Does meditation really help anxiety?<\/h2>\n<p>Meditation may be viewed as a woo-woo practice by some, but in reality, it\u2019s a powerful tool to help relieve anxiety. The reason? It forces you to tune into your body and mind, which can help you identify why you\u2019re feeling anxious in the first place, says <a href=\"https:\/\/jeffwarren.org\/explore\/meditations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jeffwarren.org\/explore\/meditations\/\">Jeff Warren<\/a>, meditation expert and author of \u201cThe Daily Trip\u201d on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/\">Calm<\/a> mindfulness app.<\/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\/meditation-for-anxiety\/\" current-title=\"Meditation Can Help Ease Anxiety, One Breath at a Time\" current-image=\"meditation-for-anxiety-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-02-28\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/meditation-for-anxiety\/\" 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\/meditation-for-anxiety\/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\/meditation-for-anxiety\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cOften we don\u2019t realize it\u2014we think being low-level stressed is the norm,\u201d Warren says. \u201cWe\u2019re constantly worrying about the future, our bodies constantly agitated, not sleeping well\u2014these are all different ways that anxiety can present itself. We imagine this is just how our life is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s normal to feel stressed from time to time, experiencing perpetual nervousness is not. Thankfully, making time for mindfulness techniques like meditation for anxiety (such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-scan-meditation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/body-scan-meditation\/\">full-body scan<\/a>) can nudge you to confront how you\u2019re physically and mentally feeling, which can help relieve anxiety in the process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can use mindfulness to start to notice the uncomfortable feelings in our body and the looping anxious persistent thoughts in our mind,\u201d Warren says. \u201cFrom this place of greater awareness, we now have a bit more space to make an intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For example, perhaps you\u2019re feeling anxious about an impending date. During a full-body scan, you notice that you\u2019re holding tension in your shoulders and neck. Leaning into that awareness, you may allow yourself to fully unclench and relax. The physical sensation of doing so can help to ease your mind, providing more space to contemplate what it is you\u2019re feeling so rigid about in the first place. From there, you can determine your next move. Is this bout of anxiety a gut feeling to cancel or are you simply nervous about how things could shift as a result of going out?<\/p>\n<h2>The science behind meditation for anxiety<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cPracticing mindfulness meditation has a long history of being an effective way to reduce stress levels,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/anisha-patel-dunn-do-0210698b\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/anisha-patel-dunn-do-0210698b\/\">Anisha Patel-Dunn, DO<\/a>, a family therapist, psychiatrist, and chief medical officer at <a href=\"https:\/\/lifestance.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/lifestance.com\/\">Lifestance Health<\/a>. \u201cAnd many people use it as a tool for their overall mental health.\u201d While the topic is still being studied, there are a number of reports that highlight the benefits of meditation.<\/p>\n<p>Curious how long should you meditate to get rid of anxiety? A study published in <em>JAMA Psychiatry<\/em> compared patients who took an eight-week mindfulness meditation program to patients who took the anxiety-drug Escitalopram, the generic name for the widely prescribed anti-anxiety medication Lexapro. The study found that <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/article-abstract\/2798510\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/article-abstract\/2798510\">both methods worked equally well<\/a>. After eight weeks, both groups showed about a 30-percent reduction in their overall symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s worth mentioning, though, that those results were based on a big-time commitment, which may not work for everyone. The study consisted of 276 adults diagnosed with untreated anxiety disorders split into two randomized groups. One group received a standard 10 to 20-milligram daily dose of Escitalopram, while the other group was assigned to weekly 2.5-hour mindfulness classes that used an approach called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-mbsr\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-mbsr\/\">Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction<\/a> (MBSR), plus a one-day-long weekend class and 45-minute daily home practices.<\/p>\n<p>Participants in the meditation group learned several mindfulness techniques like body scanning, where attention is focused on one part of the body at a time, along with mindful movement and awareness of breath.<\/p>\n<h2>How long does it take for meditation to help anxiety?<\/h2>\n<p>While 2.5-hour meditation classes, plus daily home-based practice, and a day-long weekend class were shown to act similarly to a dose of Lexapro, shorter meditation durations can still be beneficial.<\/p>\n<p>According to a study published in the <em>Journal of American College Health<\/em>, researchers found that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30939081\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30939081\/\">five to twelve minutes of daily mindfulness meditation<\/a> is associated with decreased stress and anxiety, and increased mindfulness with greater changes observed following more minutes of meditation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This is particularly great news because many meditation apps offer a variety of guided meditations spanning between a minute and an hour, with several falling in the five- to 12-minute range. While all of these meditation durations can be helpful in the moment, Warren points out that even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/micro-meditation\/\">taking just five seconds<\/a> to stop and assess yourself is useful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTaking a moment to notice that you\u2019re acting like a stress case, deliberately taking a deep breath, shaking out your limbs, maybe putting a hand on your belly, exhaling, feeling your feet on the ground\u2014just that can help interrupt some doomsday cycle of rumination,\u201d Warren says. \u201cThe more often you do this, the more effective it can be. That\u2019s why people string together those five seconds into one minute, five minutes, 10 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s the thing: Warren says that, when it comes to finding an effective duration of meditation, it all boils down to what works best for you. \u201cSome people find longer meditations harder to sustain, and that\u2019s fine; others find they really only sink into the presence and calm after 10 minutes or so,\u201d he says. \u201cYou have to play it out.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Can meditation reverse anxiety?<\/h2>\n<p>Having an anxiety disorder is challenging, and it takes work to stay on top of your mental health. That\u2019s why it\u2019s good to have reasonable expectations when it comes to treatments, says Dr. Patel-Dunn. Don\u2019t expect to see your symptoms completely disappear with the use of medication or meditation, she says, but what you can expect is for them to lessen your everyday stress.<\/p>\n<p>Mediation for anxiety can help you identify your stressors and triggers, which can help you rework your mindset and your behavior as a result. That said, mediation isn\u2019t a guaranteed solution for anxiety. \u201cWhen I\u2019ve had more long-term, chronic anxiety, committing to a regular meditation practice was transformative\u2014so was talking to a therapist,\u201d Warren says. \u201cSharing your feelings with an expert is a bit like doing a social meditation. It can help you notice what you\u2019re feeling, and create a safe space to explore those feelings. In the larger container of our shared awareness, anxiety is less likely to take hold.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, some people living with an anxiety disorder may find that mediation alone isn\u2019t enough. If your current anxiety reducing methods don\u2019t seem to be making a dent in your worries, it may be time to reach out to a trusted mental health professional, says Dr. Patel-Dunn. \u201cThey can be a valuable resource and are trained to help develop a personalized treatment plan,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>And if in the process you (and your doctor) find that medication is necessary to manage your anxiety symptoms, Dr. Patel-Dunn says that it\u2019s perfectly healthy and normal. \u201cMedication is an evidence-based treatment and has shown to be effective at treating generalized anxiety disorder,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is one tool in a psychiatric clinician\u2019s toolkit and may be effectively used in combination with other therapies.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How to incorporate meditation into your daily life<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to embrace meditation for stress and anxiety ASAP? One place to start is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/app\/program\/mVcvqWcR8C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/app\/program\/mVcvqWcR8C\">30-day Mindfulness for Beginners<\/a> course on Calm, available with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/freetrial\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/freetrial\/plans\">subscription to the platform<\/a>, which costs $70 annually. Every day, you\u2019ll be introduced to a different guided meditation ranging between nine and 14 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>While working through these mediations\u2014or even outside of them\u2014Warren says that showing yourself compassion in the process can be immensely soul-nourishing. \u201cPut a hand on your chest or your belly, and say to yourself, \u2018Oh wow, I see you\u2019re having a hard time,\u2019\u201d he says. \u201cRest while you do this, lie down. Be caring and nurturing. This kind of loving response can help soothe and settle the nervous system.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another option is to tap into the age-old practice of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-mbsr\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-mbsr\/\">MBSR<\/a>, which has been around for over 40 years and is based on the principles established in Buddhist vipassana meditation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between the mind and body and being fully in the moment and present. Its guiding principle is noticing when your mind wanders and not passing judgment on yourself if you do trail off.<\/p>\n<p>While the common assumption is that deep meditation occurs while sitting on a specifically designed pillow for the practice, surrounded by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/meditation-room-essentials\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/meditation-room-essentials\/\">meditation room essentials<\/a>, in reality, Dr. Patel-Dunn says you can engage in mindfulness wherever you are.<\/p>\n<p>Warren mirrors this sentiment, pointing out that if sitting feels too agitating, then moving your body while being mindful can be more beneficial. \u201cSome slow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/movement-meditation\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/movement-meditation\/\">meditation-in-action<\/a> where you pay attention to sensations of flow and exertion\u2014stretching, shaking, walking, yoga, martial arts\u2026 whatever,\u201d he says. \u201cYou can also take your moving body out into nature, opening up your senses. As long as you are genuinely committed to the listening or the seeing, and not just default ruminating about your problems, that\u2019s meditation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of listening and seeing, if you need a helpful reminder for how to meditate and embrace mindfulness during an anxious spiral, the 3-3-3 rule for anxiety can help. The idea is that when you\u2019re stressed, stopping to identify three sights and three sounds, and then moving three parts of your body, can help to ground you in the present moment.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<p>According to Warren, the overarching premise behind mindfulness and meditation is to uncover your true self. \u201cUltimately, meditation is more than just a tool for managing anxiety\u2014it\u2019s a life-long journey of learning that beneath our anxiety, there is a ground of peace and clarity that, truly, is who you are,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, to reap the rewards of meditation for anxiety and the benefits of mindfulness, you\u2019ll have to keep at your practice, even when it feels impossible. \u201cYour mind wanders, you come back. That\u2019s part of it, always\u2014the natural rhythm of getting distracted and coming back,\u201d Warren says.<\/p>\n<p>All in all, no matter how you choose to weave meditation for anxiety into your daily life, the overall goal is to keep it simple.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe key is not to make it into some big deal,\u201d Warren says. \u201cJust let it be a natural part of taking care of yourself, a thing you do here and there.\u201d For example, he says you can do it in the car right after you arrive somewhere, before going in. You can do it while waiting at the DMV. You can do it as part of your morning routine while you sit with your coffee. You can do it as you wind down your work for the day.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWork smart; work with how your life is already configured,\u201d Warren says. By incorporating meditation into your life that way, he assures us that it will be more sustainable, as opposed to becoming an added chore to check off your to-do list.<\/p>\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>Anxiety is a part of life\u2014and now more than ever, it seems. Case in point: More than two in five women in the U.S. will be affected by an anxiety disorder in their lifetimes, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). To work through anxiety, many people find that medication, therapy, self-care &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6942","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\/6942","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=6942"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6942\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}