Trying Guided Mindfulness Meditation To Address Stress

Mindfulness-based stress reduction is proven to help people heal from chronic stress and anxiety. Some people prefer a 30-minute meditation, while others are comfortable with a five-minute meditation practice. Guided mindfulness meditation is a narrated form of mindfulness where people listen to a person guide them through a calm, grounding exercise through an app, video, face-to-face session, or audio recording. 

A consistent meditation practice may help address a lack of focus, anxiety, depression, and many other mental health concerns. In guided meditation recordings, you hear step-by-step instructions on releasing your worries, which may be beneficial if you struggle to devise a meditation idea independently. If you’re looking into mindfulness, it can be beneficial to understand how these techniques work and why they are beneficial.

Why do people use guided meditations?

When you envision meditation, you might imagine sitting quietly with your eyes closed in a seated position. You may also think of controlling your breath or relaxing your muscles. Many people believe that meditation is a practice you must do on your own, but there are many ways to practice meditation. Guided meditation may be beneficial when you feel unsure about how to personalize your practice. 

Some meditation practices call racing thoughts the “monkey mind.” When your thoughts are running wild, you can take steps to help yourself by focusing on a guiding voice supporting you in your meditation. With guided meditations, you have a tour guide on the road to relaxation. You don’t have to wonder what to do next, as the person in the recording can guide you there. 

The benefits of guided mindfulness meditation 

Below are some primary benefits you might receive from guided meditation. 

Stress and muscle tension reduction 

Guided meditation may be beneficial when you’re stressed and your body feels tense. When stressed, you may feel pain in your neck, back, or stomach. However, there are several ways that meditation can reduce this tension. For example, you might try a massage or see an acupuncturist. Studies show that even ten minutes of massage can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. 

You can also try a few coping strategies independently to decrease tension. It can be challenging to release muscle tension, but a body scan meditation practice may help you focus on grounding yourself. Below is a muscle relaxation exercise you can try to fall asleep at night if you’re experiencing insomnia due to stress: 

• Lay down in a comfortable position.
• Pay attention to your body, starting at your toes.
• Imagine your toes filling up with sleepy sand or progressively relaxing. Let go of any tension in your muscles you might be holding from your day.
• Move your focus to your ankles, legs, and knees, repeating the muscle relaxation and imagination exercise.
• Repeat the exercise for every body part until you reach the top of your head.  

Coping with anxiety 

Anxiety can cause many symptoms, including heightened energy. Heightened energy may manifest as uncomfortable, anxious feelings or physical sensations like tingling or tension. An on-the-go mindfulness practice may soothe anxiety symptoms because you have a place to put that excess energy. Feeling anxious can be uncomfortable, but a guided anxiety meditation can help when stressed from work, relationships, or friendship problems. 

If you try a walking or jogging meditation, you can wear earbuds or headphones to focus on your music and look at areas in your environment. Studies show that on-the-go mindfulness is possible and practical and that ten minutes a day of this meditation can positively impact your mental health. At times, short meditations may feel more achievable when you’re experiencing anxiety or a panic attack. If you struggle to meet ten minutes, you can try short increments of one or two minutes at a time.  

If you’re struggling to come up with a walking mindfulness practice, consider the following: 

1. Go on a 30-minute walk or jog. Ensure you wear comfortable shoes and clothing for the temperature and location.
2. As you walk, notice five purple objects within the first five minutes.
3. Within the first ten minutes, try to spot at least three workers (it could be a mailman, delivery person, or police officer).
4. Within the first twenty minutes, try to notice three different scenes (For example, kids playing, a mom talking to her child, or a couple on a date).
5. Within the entire walk, note five aspects of your environment that you find beautiful, such as flowers or a stream. 

Focusing on the moment 

Mindfulness practice can help individuals remember to embrace themselves and their reality as it occurs. It may be tempting to seek instant gratification, but guided mindfulness practice can remind you that you can modify your perspective with patience and time. One of the tenets of mindful living is accepting what’s happening in the present. Mindfulness practice may feel more comfortable the more you do it. 

How to find guided meditations 

When you find a guided meditation you resonate with, you may feel excited to practice it daily. You often don’t have to spend money to achieve these skills. You can find free, guided meditations online or in the app store on your smartphone, through YouTube videos, social media, or mindfulness podcasts.

Ask a mental health professional for advice if you’re having trouble finding free guided meditations. They can provide you with some resources, including mindfulness books. When you read a book on the topic, they may mention places to find free guided meditations.

Types of guided meditations 

There are many forms of guided meditations that an individual can try, including the following: 

• Visual meditations to picture ideas and locations in your mind 
• Auditorial meditations to think of sounds, words, and ideas with auditorial imagination
• Tactile meditation guiding you to perform actions like tightening your muscles or holding a stress ball 
• Spiritual meditation to think of spiritual ideas that align with your beliefs or connect with your “soul” or “energy” 
• Yoga meditation to change your body positioning and partake in focused movement and exercise

The physical connection between mindfulness and the body 

Mindfulness awareness research proves the benefits of mindfulness. One of those benefits can be learning to connect movement with wellness. Health and wellness meditations can remind you of the mind-body connection, which researchers have extensively studied. You can find ways to embrace that concept when you practice guided meditation. 

Health and wellness meditations can help a person with body positivity by helping them embrace their physical being and be proud of their body. Health and wellness meditations can also affirm that you are acting to better your physical well-being. If you’re unsure if this is the type of meditation for you, a meditation teacher can instruct you on wellness meditation. 

Meditations, guided or not, can improve a person’s overall well-being. It can be challenging to slow down the mind and body regarding stress. If left untreated, stress can cause significant health issues. For that reason, meditation and mindfulness are physical coping skills and mental health-related techniques simultaneously. 

Mindfulness-based counseling options 

Mindfulness is a unique technique that can be used for stress reduction. During challenging times, you can use mindful living to support you. Focusing on the moment may also assist you in focusing on the future. Guided meditations are part of a practice that addresses anxiety, stress, and other difficulties. 

Mindfulness meditation therapist

If you are looking for professional guidance toward mindfulness and meditation, you might also try speaking to a mindfulness-educated therapist. However, many people find fitting therapy into their schedule difficult due to other responsibilities. In these cases, online therapy is a solution that may benefit you. 

Online CBT for mindful meditations

Various studies have demonstrated that online cognitive-behavioral therapy can treat the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and many other mental health conditions. One study found that mindfulness-based online therapy was also possible and had similar effectiveness to face-to-face mindfulness therapy.  

Online counseling

Online counseling can be an ideal environment to discover how to stay grounded and fit mindfulness into your schedule. Online therapists through platforms like BetterHelp can use resources like journal prompts, worksheets, and webinars to support you in your therapy sessions. Your counselor can also suggest helpful books to read and guided meditations to help you manage in times of stress. With an online session, you can choose between video, phone, or live chat sessions to have flexibility and control over the type of therapy you receive.