By Nikki Veliz
We all get stressed. And sometimes it feels like a bit of a competition about how busy, tired and stressed we are. A ridiculous way to live, right?
At one point in my life I didn’t realize how chronically stressed and burnt out I was until I ended up at the doctor’s office. And was hooked up to an EKG machine to see if I was having a heart attack. I was 28.
Yes, clearly stress can get out of control.
So what can you do about it?
Here’s where meditation comes in.
Meditation is a powerful stress release tool.
When you meditate, your breath rate slows, your heart rate and blood pressure go down, and your muscle tension decreases. Your body also releases endorphins. Endorphins are those feel good hormones that you get from exercising, eating chocolate and having sex. But you can also get them from meditating.
Endorphins are those feel good hormones that you get from exercising, eating chocolate and having sex. But you can also get them from meditating.
Meditation makes you feel good!
Your mental state changes to become more positive because your stress symptoms, like anxiety, are released. Your brain physically changes over time. The grey-matter in your amygdala decreases which is awesome because it’s known to play a significant role in stress.
Meditation can change you physiologically, psychologically and emotionally.
When you’re stressed out, you’re more vulnerable to catching a bug. Have you ever been through a stressful time and ended up having to take time off work because you’re sick? Yes, sadly, being chronically stressed lowers your immune system. And you’re more likely to get sick more often.
See page 2 for a really simple breath meditation you can do right now…
