Your Low-Stress Guide to Leveling-Up Your Bedtime Routine
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While these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between mindfulness vs. meditation.
Each practice has unique characteristics and benefits to help you feel more grounded and relaxed in everyday life.
We asked our experts to lay down the differences in their origins, techniques, and potential health benefits.
But their methods and applications differ in significant ways.
This practice involves just focusing on the right now.
licensed counselor and founder and CEO of Sage Therapy
Plus, its accessible.
Despite their differences, they have one important thing in common: they take practice.
Remember when practicing mindfulness and/or meditation that its a muscle you build up, says Huckabee.
Its okay if you cant sit down and be perfectly in the moment the first time you try.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulnessis the practice of being fully present and aware in each moment.
This means observing what youre doing, thinking, and feeling right nowwithout judgment.
It emphasized staying fully aware of the present moment; observing thoughts and emotions without attachment, she adds.
In more recent history, though, mindfulness has been secularized and integrated into Western psychology.
licensed counselor and founder and CEO of Sage Therapy
Start by choosing an everyday activity, like eating or walking, and fully focus on the experience.
Like mindfulness, meditation also originates from ancient spiritual traditions in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism.
How to practice meditation
There aremanytypes of meditation.
Then turn your attention to the focus of the meditation.
When your mind wanders (and it will!
Here are a few techniques to get you started:
Want more ideas?
Health benefits of mindfulness and meditation
Both mindfulness and meditation share a wide array of health benefits.
These include:
1.
Enhancing sleep
If youve considered tryingmeditation for sleep, its not a bad idea.
Mindfulness has also been associated with improved sleep.
A May 2020 study inSleep Health4found that people who trained in mindfulness-based stress-reduction techniques also experienced better sleep quality.
And this applies to other areas of life, as well.
Improving relationships
Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you become a more present person overall.
of these practices boasts several potential health benefits.
If youre looking to add a low-lift, high-reward practice to your self-care routine, look no further.
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