The Mental & Physical Benefits of Making a Meditation Space
The practice of meditation has grown in popularity in the past few years given the increase in awareness regarding its benefits for physical and mental health. There are numerous advantages to regular meditation like reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Meditation within the confines of your home often requires a space dedicated to rest and relaxation: but this doesn’t have to be a pricey or time-consuming project! There are plenty of options to make a meditation room your zen oasis without breaking the bank. If you don’t have a spare room to dedicate to meditation, a tranquil corner will also do the trick. To learn more about how meditation can benefit you and how to start putting together your meditation space, keep reading.
Health Perk #1: Reduced Cortisol Levels
When we experience mental or physical stress, it's usually caused by the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone is the culprit for many of the harmful effects of stress, like sleep disruption, more depression and anxiety, increased blood pressure, fatigue and cloudy thinking.
However, an 8-week study on mindfulness meditation reduced the inflammation response from stress and ultimately lowered levels of cortisol. Research has also shown that meditation can help improve symptoms of stress-related illnesses like irritable bowel syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder (Healthline).
Health Perk #2: Lowers Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a common condition that meditation has helped relieve the symptoms of. A meta-analysis of 12 different studies with nearly a thousand participants each discovered that meditation does in fact reduce blood pressure because it can relax the nerve signals that create the “fight-or-flight” response (Healthline).
Health Perk #3: Helps Fight Addictions
Fighting addiction requires mental discipline that can be achieved through consistent meditation practice because it can increase self-control and awareness of your triggers that lead to addictive behaviors. Research on alcohol use disorders revealed that transcendental meditation resulted in reduced alcohol cravings and usage after 3 months (Healthline).
3 Simple Steps for Making Your Own Meditation Space
Now that you’ve been familiarized with various science-based benefits of meditation, we might be wondering how you can set up your ideal meditation space. Start with these three easy steps to cultivate your zen den. ~2 sentences segueing into 2 or 3 easy steps, like the examples I listed here below:
Select Your Space
First and foremost, select the spare room or corner you’d like to dedicate to your space. Make sure you have the space to sit or lie down for your meditation practice.
Invigorate Your 5 Senses
Incorporating elements of all five senses is a simple way to ground yourself in the present during meditation. For sight, consider choosing calming paint colors for your walls or decorations. Your sense of smell can be incorporated using an essential oil diffuser or aromatherapy candles. You might want to soundproof your room or meditate with music or white noise to control the sounds you hear. For touch, use cozy textures from blankets or pillows so you feel comfortable. Last but not least, incorporate taste through herbal teas.
Add Decor for a Final Touch
Making your meditation space attractive can motivate you to practice, so incorporate aesthetically pleasing decor! Some great, affordable decor options include but aren’t limited to himalayan salt lamps, string lights or mini water fountains. This can also appeal to your sense!
We hope this article gave you the information you need to start meditating in your home. For more information on how to set up your meditation room, check out the infographic below or download these mindfulness activities and wall art.