Meditation for students has several benefits. It has been scientifically proven to enhance mental and physical well-being. Meditation helps to improve learning, concentration, and aid memory. Meditation can also reconnect you with vital and present things in your experience.
It is essential to know that meditation is not just sitting in silence. According to the Meditation master and Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, it is the ability to realize the clear understanding that arises from concentration, by sitting in awareness in an area free from distraction.
Meditation helps us to become more focused and less anxious. As a result of this, one’s memory becomes sharpened, and patience increases. Not only does it make us peaceful, but meditation can also help us become successful in our endeavors as a student. It improves recall during tests and examinations, helps us study more efficiently, and decreases stress during stressful situations. Also, it can make students less irritated when they are writing an academic paper. In this case, every student has a chance to deal with the essay writers who are ready to help them.
Meditation and Its Scientific Benefits
Research from Harvard University has proven that people who meditate for fifteen minutes a day for two months will enjoy lower blood pressure. Scientific studies have, over time, demonstrated that meditation offers relief from chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and stress.
Meditation has been proven by an MRI scan to create changes to the physical brain structure. Daily meditation for two months will shrink the Amygdala- the brain’s “fight or flight” center. Therefore, the way the mind processes information is changed.
The lifestyle of a college student demands constant connectivity and information processing. Meditation can, therefore, thicken the prefrontal cortex, which aids concentration and decision making. Hence, a student becomes less reactive and more focused.
How to Start a Meditation Practice as a Student
First, determine the duration of your meditation. For a beginner, 5-10 minutes meditation is advisable. You can then increase it to fifteen minutes when you have mastered the act. Ensure you commit yourself to the practice and set your intention to be still physically.
Look for a place set apart – a peaceful environment devoid of noise and distraction. If the environment is not quiet, you can make use of noise-canceling headphones. You can also make use of your school mediation room or library.
Meditators usually sit in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. You must ensure you are sitting comfortably in a relaxed but upright posture, such that your head is resting on your spine. Meditation is also possible while walking, lying down, or standing.
Types of Meditation Practices
Sitting at a spot, meditating might sound easy, but the mind is always unstable. Several techniques of mediation can be applied to maintain focus. Any of these can be used:
- Body Scan
This practice requires paying attention to any feeling of tightness, sensation, or resistance in the part of the body. Start from the forehead, then focus on your eyes, cheeks, neck, jaw, shoulder, abdomen, fingers, and down to your toes. This scan helps to release the body from any stress of the past.
- Breath Awareness
Focus on your breath by staying with each inhale and exhale of breath. This exercise helps to stay connected with the present moment. Remain curious about the breath, don’t try to control it. Follow the flow of air as it passes through your nostrils and lungs.
- Guided Meditation
This practice is for people that find it difficult to focus. Guided meditation is available on apps and can help in achieving goals like sleep, relaxation, confidence, happiness, and focus. It sometimes comes with background sounds like music and word repetitions that can enhance your concentration.
