50+ Lifestyles

How to Lower Your Stress Levels (in just one minute)

By Logan Anderson, BA, CPT, CIFT
Owner of All Strong Fitness LLC

By far one of the biggest changes I have made in my personal life is the implementation of a daily meditation practice. Now, I get it. You hear meditation, and immediately think of Yoga pros, staring at a wall for hours, sniffing odd smelling candles. This is what I thought, too. Despite this, I started a daily meditation practice that has helped improve my focus, self awareness, mental clarity, and of course find inner peace in times of distress. Through my personal journey, I started implementing guided meditations during some of the senior fitness classes I teach, and to my satisfaction, class members loved it. Whether it was feelings of “peace,” “joy,” or “relaxation,” there is only positive words. So if you are someone who is on the fence about trying out meditation, join me today for a sample of what a potent effect meditation can have on your mood and self of wellbeing.

Now, there are so many different types of meditation out there. For most individuals who start out with meditation, they usually have one primary goal; lowering stress. Because of this, I want us to practice a simple one minute meditation together, to show just how quickly you can lower your stress levels and relax your body. For starters, I would highly encourage you to go through the following checklist.

• Grab your phone.
• Find a quiet and dark room, with no distractions.
• Find a comfortable chair or space to lie down.

Don’t be too stressed if it doesn’t seem “perfect.” Do your best, and let’s give it a shot!

The next step is to set a timer on your phone for a minute. Start the timer, and close your eyes. For the next minute, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Your mind will wander. Thoughts will come into your head. You will even feel like you are doing something wrong. Any time your mind wanders, just tell yourself “breath” and come back to your breathing. Once the timer goes off, notice how you feel. Do you feel more relaxed? Is your body less tense? Most individuals will experience quite a bit of relaxation even from just a few moments of doing this. Now, the choice is yours. If a minute is easy and feels good, try to add a couple more. Try to add these small moments of peace into your day. Anything is better than nothing, and these small moments of peace can truly change your mental, emotional, and physical health for the rest of your life. I hope you give meditation an honest shot, and also hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Logan Anderson is the owner of All Strong Fitness LLC. For more information, please visit allstrongfitness.org.