Science-Backed Benefits of Daily Meditation Habit
Hey there, lovely humans! I'm your meditation guide with a decade of experience guiding and group leading, and today, we're diving into the fascinating world of meditation habits, kindness, and inner calm. Whether you're a curious 25-year-old or a wise and wonderful 65-year-old, this journey is for you. We're about to uncover the science-backed superpowers of daily meditation habits, so grab your cushions, let's sit back, and immerse ourselves in this ancient wisdom practice.
The Power of Repetition
Life can be a bit of a rollercoaster for us, right? Between careers, family, and just, well, life, it's easy to get swept away. That's where daily meditation swoops in like a caped crusader.
Daily = Life-Changing
Why daily, you ask? Well, repetition is the magic ingredient here. Think of it as feeding the habit – a little bit each day, and it grows into something magnificent.
I believe in giving yourself the choice to practice six days a week. You can miss the odd day and still find benefits from your practice. Maybe on Saturdays your life is packed full of friends, family or household activities. Or maybe you would simply enjoy the spaciousness of having a day off. You could also intend to meditate every day, knowing that when life gets in the way causing you to miss one day, this is not a “fail” but part of the plan. Whichever approach works best for you in the habit creation process, put it to good use.
Repetition + Focus = Powerful Habit Creation
Your meditation habit can transform from a sporadic hobby into a life-changing routine.
A Glimpse Into My Meditation Journey
Picture this: It's 2012, and I find myself in the hustle and bustle of Taiwan. I'm navigating a sea of distractions, both external and, as it turns out, internal. It was in a moment of personal discovery that I realised just how much my mind was constantly racing. It was like a never-ending whirlwind of thoughts, spinning faster when stress came knocking.
Meditation had always been on my radar, but now, it felt like a necessity. So, one fateful morning, I decided to take the plunge. No guided sessions, no fancy techniques—just me, sitting alone, trying to be still and quiet. Looking back, it might seem like a crazy and challenging way to start, and truth be told, it was.
But I persevered. And then, it happened—my breakthrough moment. It was as if someone had hit the mute button on my mental chaos, and I was finally able to experience moments of pure presence with a quieter mind. That was the spark, the moment when I knew I was in it for life.
As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, my meditation practice grew and evolved alongside me. After 18 months, I found myself meditating every morning for a blissful 30 to 40 minutes. And oh, the magic that seemed to weave its way into my life!
Stress became a manageable companion, and resilience became my superpower. I became more present with myself and others—truly listening to what others were saying, not just waiting for my turn to speak. The benefits were undeniable; I was hooked.
This journey was more than just a habit; it was a transformation. And I couldn't help but marvel at how it had reshaped my world for the better.
Stress Reduction
Stress – the not-so-friendly neighbour who loves to knock on your door unannounced. But guess what? Meditation can be your "Do Not Disturb" sign.
The Science Bit
Scientifically, meditation has been shown to reduce stress. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology (Shapiro, 1998) found that daily meditation decreased cortisol levels, the infamous stress hormone. So, when life's pressures start to mount, a few minutes of meditation can help you stay cool, calm, and collected.
I remember a particularly chaotic day at work in the NHS. Instead of succumbing to stress, I went through the start sequence of my meditation practice: grounded my feet, taking a few intentionally slower and deeper meditative breaths and closing my eyes for a few seconds. After years of practice, repeating these simple steps was like hitting the reset button. The previous problem-solving stress became puzzle-solving as my body physically relaxed. The tension in my chest and shoulders melted making more space in the body and the mind to creatively tackle anything.
Improved Focus and Mental Clarity
Now, let's talk about sharpening that mental sword. Meditation isn't just for monks on mountaintops; it's for anyone who wants to boost cognitive powers.
The Brain Upgrade
Studies have shown that meditation enhances cognitive functions. Research published in Psychological Science (Mrazek, 2013) revealed that even short meditation sessions improved attention and working memory. Imagine having less mind wandering and a mental edge in your daily tasks and decision-making.
Emotional Regulation and Inner Calm
Ah, emotions – the wild horses of our hearts, minds and bodies. Meditation gives you the reins.
The Emotion Whisperer
Meditation is like a gym for your emotions. Studies, like the one in Behaviour Research and Therapy (Arch and Craske, 2006), show that it can reshape how your brain processes emotions, leading to better emotional regulation and inner calm.
There was a time when I'd get overwhelmed easily. Meditation taught me to be able to take a step back and feel my emotions while also observing them occurring in my body - without getting swept away by them. The combination of feeling emotions without telling new stories about them (and so getting entangled in a downward black hole) and being in the observer role, is like having your own emotional life jacket. For a framework of how to feel emotions, dig into my blog article on this topic, The 3 A’s.
Enhanced Physical Health
Guess what? Meditation's benefits aren't just mental – it’s a physical process of well-being.
Body and Harmony
Regular meditation can improve your sleep, boost your immune system, and even lower blood pressure. The American Journal of Hypertension journal (Nidich, 2008) reported that daily meditation led to significant reductions in hypertension. It's like a spa day for your body from the inside out.
Building Empathy and Kindness
Feeling a little rusty in the kindness department? Meditation can be your empathy booster shot.
The Kindness Catalyst
Studies, such as the one in Psychological Science (Condon, 2013), found that the meditator group had increased compassion compared with non-meditators. This increase of empathy and kindness helps you and the world around you, spreading out the benefits to our surrounding communities.
As a meditation guide, I've seen how practising kindness in response to my internal dialogue has beautifully shifted my life from having a lot of barriers (both internal and external) into a state of daily well-being and achieving my big goals without procrastination. With kindness and compassion for myself and others, I am in my personal power, living my purpose and expanding my human potential. The outcome? Relationships have transformed and deepened or melted away where they needed to and I am showing up in my business with authenticity.
Heart-Mind-Body
Let's talk about heart-mind-body and how meditation works with all of our being.
Harmony Within
Meditation isn't just about what's happening in your head; it's an embodied, somatic experience. Research, like the study in Psychoneuroendocrinology (Black, D. S., 2013), shows that meditation changes gene expression, reducing the presence of inflammation molecules and increasing stress reduction factors. This was found after 8 weeks of practising just 12 minutes per day.
Practical Tips for Cultivating a Daily Meditation Habit
So, how can you make meditation a regular habit? Five tips to get you going:
1. Start Small
Begin with just a few minutes each day and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable. It may be controversial, but in my professional opinion meditating for just two minutes a day, 365 days a year is more useful than doing 20 minutes which happens only twice a month. Remember, repetition is your key to unlocking powerful habits.
2. Find Your Sanctuary
Create a peaceful meditation space at home where you can retreat from the chaos. My experience of over a decade has taught me that when you settle down in the same spot each time you go to meditate, you will more quickly get into it. We are training our mammalian bodies to be habituated to the cues in that environment.
3. Use Guided Meditations
There is so much available online. You can go here for 1 minute tasters of my meditation guiding. Use an app like Insight Timer or Headspace (some free and some paid-for content). Follow my Instagram, YouTube channel or TikTok for drop-in guided meditations. I have created the 5-day free mini meditations with ease programme for you. There’s a short introductory guidance and then a few minutes of meditation. Tell me where you would like this sending here.
4. Set Reminders & Get Accountable
Use your phone or a sticky note as a reminder to meditate daily. For accountability via habit tracking, I used the free app, HabitBull, for nearly a year when life was especially busy to support me in consistently doing my meditation, yoga and morning rituals.
5. Join a Community
Consider joining a meditation group or class to stay motivated. See below for programmes I offer.
Conclusion
There you have it! The science-backed benefits of a repeated meditation habit are like hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Whether you're in your 20s or 50s, you can tap into these superpowers to create more kindness, inner calm, and well-being in your life.
Meditation isn't just a practice; it's a lifelong journey of self-discovery and growth leading to evolution and then revolution. I recommend you don’t meditate if you don’t want your life to change! So, grab your cushion, close your eyes, and let the magic unfold. Your daily meditation habit is a powerful ticket to a happier, healthier you. Namaste!
Here are three ways you can meditate with me:
1. Get my freely-given mini meditation 5-day programme delivered to you to get into the habit of doing a few minutes of meditation every day with ease by clicking here
2. If you are ready for it, join my online programme for Meditation Habit Creation for 21 days including live group calls (at 7am UK time) on several days each week by clicking here; the next start date at the time of writing is coming soon on 2nd October (£111; please enquire if this price would stop you from joining)
3. If you are not ready for the live programme, the recorded version of the 21-day habit creation programme is launching very soon in September at a fantastic price point of £21 for 21 days - watch this space