How has meditation helped you?

[Lighttodark]

If you meditate, how long have you been doing it, how often and what type of mediation? How has it helped your general/mental health?

It helps me to control my thoughts and emotions. I can observe them without getting swept away by them. So it helps to stop panic attacks and maintain calm.

I’ve been meditating about 2 years now.
I aim for 20 minutes a day, but sometimes I’ll do more.
I do a mix of guided meditations, make up my own visualisations, and often just focus on a noise, whichever feels right at the time.
Anxiety and depression has pretty much gone. Chronic overthinking has gone.
I sleep better. I deal with stuff better.
I’ve gone from generally being a miserable person to being happy most of the time. For that reason alone it’s been life changing!

Physical health wise - weirdly I don’t get ill as much, and when I do I don’t catastrophise as much.

I use meditation sometimes to help me switch off and sleep. It's also been a lifesaver for my child who has a busy brain at bedtime and can get really agitated about falling asleep.

I don’t do it enough, but I do use an app which has a cello note to which you can match your breathing. I take it outside first thing in the morning if I can, and also listen to the wind, birds (and the bin men and the A road). It sort of opens up my soul and brings me closer to the wide world, and when I really get into it I feel close to whatever energy drives the universe. It starts my day better, with my head on right.
I must try to be more consistent! As it feels quite fleeting and I’d like to get more of that.

That sounds interesting, @MotherOfCatBoy - would you mind sharing what is the name of that app ?

I've used 10% Happier which I've got on well with but always interested in others.

Sure it’s called simply The Breathing App and when you search for it (I’m on Apple) it looks like this. I think it was developed by a yoga teacher rather than a tech company so it’s very simple indeed.

Absolutely amazing. I am only a few weeks in I feel much pore positive and calm.