5 Ways to Meditate for Mental Health

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The US has a new status update on the risks of social media. To wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month, there’s no better time to give meditation a try. Meditation helps manage anxiety and depression, and it improves sleep quality.

Can’t sit still? Take a deep breath and relax. Try these 5 ways to meditate instead…

Zone in. If closing your eyes is not comfortable, stare at something instead. Focus your attention on an object. When you your mind wanders, simply bring it back to your focal point. The more you practice, the easier it gets.

Sound on. You don’t have to sit in silence, listening to music can be helpful — try nature, classical, or high frequency sounds to soothe yourself in a comfy position. Listen to the notes and notice how your body responds to the rhythm.

Puzzle it. Turns out, a good puzzle can be its own meditative practice. You may become so immersed in the task that you detach from stressful thoughts. If you get frustrated, take a break!

Color me. Put peace at your fingertips with coloring to redirect negativity because the repetitive motion can induce relaxation. Download our favorite mandala and get some colored pencils to start now.

Step up. A walking meditation is a great alternative to sit-and-breathe. Take note of how it feels to pick up and place each foot and pause to notice your surroundings. Focus on your senses (see, smell, hear, feel). Move your body and find flow as you go.

Of course, take a yoga class or get trained to teach yoga to kids in your area because being still is a skill. Let me know which tip you like best!