Meditation

Meditation is a type of mind–body relaxation technique.

Meditation can help you cope with everyday life, lower your stress and improve your overall wellbeing.

During meditation, you concentrate your mind on one thing, such as:

• breathing
• sounds
• body movements and feelings
• a mantra (chant)

Meditation focuses your attention on the present moment and on body sensations. It’s part of many religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism. You do not need to be religious to meditate.

Meditation can help:

• release muscle tension
• reduce anxiety
• improve your mood
• improve quality of life

It calms and relaxes the body and mind.

Meditation is formal mindfulness and it can help train your mind to stay focused and peaceful during times of stress or anxiety.

It is based on the belief that our thoughts and emotions can impact both our physical and mental health.

Meditation has both physical and mental health benefits. It can help you manage the symptoms of many health conditions, including:

• anxiety
• depression
• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• pain
• sleep problems

Meditation can also have benefits for your general wellbeing, including helping to:

• manage stress
• increase self-awareness
• focus on the present moment

Meditation is a simple and effective practice to improve your health and reduce stress immediately. Once you learn the skill, you can use it on your own, anywhere and at any time.

When you are getting started, it is best to find a quiet, comfortable place. It might be easier for you to start by sitting or lying down.

Meditation can be done anywhere, and you don’t need much time. Try starting with 1 to 2 minutes each day and then slowly increase the time over weeks or months.

It takes time, patience and practice to meditate.

If you need some help, try:

• attending weekly meditation classes
• using a meditation podcast or YouTube video
• using a mental health app, such as Smiling Mind
• doing a meditation course

Tips to help you to meditate

Even though many different meditation techniques exist, the general ideas are similar.

Here are some steps to help you meditate using your breath:

• Find a quiet place so that you don’t get easily distracted.
• Settle into a comfortable position, such as sitting on a chair or lying on the floor.
• Close your eyes.
• Start to pay attention to your breathing.
• Feel the air moving in and out of your nostrils as you breathe.
• Notice the rise and fall of your belly.

Some people prefer to try body scan meditation, which involves these steps:

• Find a quiet and comfortable place.
• Start by focusing on your breath.
• Focus on the tips of your toes and then slowly move your focus up through each part of your body.
• Pay attention to how each part of your body feels and if there is any tension.
• Keep moving your focus upwards through your body, noticing how your muscles relax.

You can also meditate by taking a walk outside. As you are walking:

• Notice the feeling of your feet as you take each step.
• Feel air and sunlight on your skin.
• Listen to the sounds of your surroundings.
• Notice the smells of flowers and grass.
• Look at the swaying of the trees.
• Take deep breaths.

Meditation works well when it’s done regularly, so it’s best to keep practising until you find a technique that suits you. This will help turn meditation into a habit.

To stay motivated to meditate, try to find a regular time. The time that works best for you may be in the morning before work or in bed at night.

You can call meditation ‘self-care’ to help you remember you are taking time to do something for yourself.

It is normal for your thoughts to drift while you’re meditating. If you feel your mind starting to drift, try to bring it back to the meditation or focus on your breath. This helps to train your brain to meditate.

The Black Dog Institute (Opens in new tab) has more information about the benefits of meditation (Opens in new tab) as well as different techniques you can try.

The NSW Government (Opens in new tab) has a useful fact sheet about meditation that includes links to guided practices (Opens in new tab).

For more information about mindfulness techniques and reducing stress, Medicare (Opens in new tab) has a free online course (Opens in new tab).

If you or anyone you know needs help and would like to speak to a trained professional about mental health, you can also call:

• Beyond Blue (Opens in new tab) on 1300 22 4636
• MensLine Australia (Opens in new tab) on 1300 789 978
• Suicide Call Back Service (Opens in new tab) on 1300 659 467
• Kids Helpline (Opens in new tab) on 1800 55 1800
• Headspace (Opens in new tab) on 1800 650 890