4 Meditation Techniques to Help Bust Your Stress

Between balancing work, family and other responsibilities, life can be stressful. And now more than ever, you might be feeling overwhelmed and worried with concerns over the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted daily life for millions of people.

Though you can't avoid everyday stressors, sometimes, simply taking a pause to breathe and rest your mind through meditation can be exactly what you need to ease the pressure. But don't just take our word for it.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that meditation can be an effective stress-management tool. Indeed, research has even discovered that meditation may have a longer-lasting affect on shrinking stress than rest and relaxation on vacation, per Harvard Health Publishing.

Below, Jodie Skillicorn, DO, a holistic psychiatrist and author of ‌Healing Depression Without Medication: A Psychiatrist's Guide to Balancing Mind, Body, and Soul‌, discusses four types of meditation to reduce stress (including step-by-step instructions), plus tips on starting a meditation practice.

"A broad term, mindfulness meditation encompasses techniques that train the mind to focus on compassionate, non-judgmental awareness of this moment as it is — right here, right now — and not as we want it to be or think it should be," Dr. Skillicorn says.

Mindfulness can center around bodily sensations, thoughts, feelings, sounds, images or breath. But focusing on breath is particularly valuable for stress relief.

"The practice of paying attention to breath in the belly activates the vagal nerve, which winds up to the brain and sends a message of safety," Dr. Skillicorn explains. In other words, it tells the part of the brain that's constantly on alert for danger to relax, she says.

In fact, mindfulness meditation can even ‌change‌ your brain. A May 2013 study in ‌PLOS One‌ examined people who practiced mindfulness, and their MRI scans indicated a shrinkage of the amgydala, the brain structure responsible for fight-or-flight and fear responses.

The researchers theorized that this could help explain why mindful individuals are less reactive to stress.

Even brief mindfulness training can have a major effect on the way you handle stress. A March 2018 study in ‌Mindfulness‌ found that meditators who completed 10 introductory mindfulness sessions (each approximately 10 minutes long) on a smartphone app reported less irritability and stress.

"Guided imagery uses the power of the imagination to calm the brain and body," Dr. Skillicorn says.

And, believe it or not, conjuring up peaceful images in your mind can be quite effective for combatting stress and negativity.

That's because "our brain responds to our thoughts and imagination as if they are real," Dr. Skillicorn says. "Think about the implications of this! With guided imagery we can provide a peaceful space and reprieve for the mind and body so that they can relax, just as they would if you were actually on an idyllic vacation."

Indeed, a study published in the spring 2014 issue of ‌Biofeedback‌ found that a guided imagery exercise reduced participants' levels of cognitive and emotional stress along with their heart rates.

"The body scan is a meditation that systematically moves through the body with intentional focus and curiosity, noticing whatever sensations may, or may not, be present," Dr. Skillicorn says.

"By tuning into the body and attending to its sensations, we step out of the stories of the mind, calm the nervous system and turn off the sympathetic fight-flight-freeze response that gets amped up particularly in times of stress, uncertainty and disruption," she explains.

And the scientific evidence supports Dr. Skillicorn's claim. Research that examined two types of body scan meditation — one emphasizing physical relaxation and the other mindful awareness — found that both techniques were associated with a reduction in stress, per a June 2018 study published in ‌Psychosomatic Medicine.‌

Yet another August 2012 study published in ‌Mindfulness‌ discovered that people who practiced body scan meditation for three weeks reported an overall improvement in psychological wellbeing.

If you prefer the great outdoors, you might want to practice another powerful meditation technique: mindful walking in nature.

"Like the other forms of meditation, walking in nature allows us to be fully present in our bodies and calms the nervous system," says Dr. Skillicorn, adding that spending time outside also reduces anxiety, bolsters immunity and improves mood.

Case in point: A May 2019 study in ‌Ecopsychology‌ found that people who strolled outdoors while practicing mindfulness reported a decrease in negative mood (and an increased connectedness with their surroundings) .

For starters, spend some time in shallow waters before jumping in the deep end.

"The best way to establish a practice is to start small and build. Perhaps commit to practicing every day for just two minutes upon awakening to create a calming anchor for your day, and two minutes just before bed to help with sleep," Dr. Skillicorn says.

From there, slowly add a bit more time each week.

And if you need a little guidance, "there are many apps available, including Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer, to keep you on track and even remind you to practice for a set amount of time," says Dr. Skillicorn, who adds, "and even if you forget to meditate, be kind to yourself and begin again the next day."