You know you should meditate—everyone from your medical doctor to the guy checking you out at Whole Foods raves about its benefits. But is daily inward reflection really worth your time? Yes! In addition to reducing anxiety and improving your overall outlook on life, "meditation has been shown in research to reduce blood pressure, increase attention span, help insomnia, and increase compassion," says Dr. Samantha Brody, a licensed naturopathic physician and acupuncturist.
And you don't just have to sit and stare at the wall to clear your mind. "There are many different ways to meditate," Brody says. "There is mantra meditation where you focus on a word or a phrase, meditation where you focus on your breath, and even moving meditation." But the real trick, she says, is to stick with it, even when you feel like you don't want to. "It's on the other side of the resistance that you'll find the biggest rewards!"
Ready to get started? Check out this beginner's guide to meditation for everything you need to know.
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