Gaining popularity rapidly over the past 15 years, Meditation is no longer associated solely with long-haired hippies, but is now promoted by celebrities, featured in business magazines, and available on almost every app on the market today.
Meditating on a regular basis has been proven to help with mental health, anxiety, depression, insomnia, blood pressure, problem-solving, decision-making, and more. It can also help with distress and panic in the moment.
With the surge in popularity, many people ponder the question ‘What is the best time of day to meditate?’
The answer really depends on personal preference, what you are seeking, what works best for you, and what feels right.
This article will discuss why certain times of the day are considered the best for meditation, allowing you to choose the time or times that work best for you.
The Importance of Finding Your Time
If you’re a beginner, or even someone just struggling with meditation motivation it’s paramount to find a specific time to meditate and make that a part of your daily routine. Whether that’s the beginning of the day, middle, end or middle of the night, pick a time and stick to it. Otherwise, if you leave it for whenever you have time, you may never get around to it.
The yogi’s say the best time to meditate is for two and a half hours before sunrise when the sun is at a 60 degree angle to the earth…
Luckily for you we’re not yogi’s.
First thing you need to understand is that the meditation mentioned throughout the article is Natural Meditation, a (as the name suggests) natural, simple and easy meditation that can be done anywhere at any time. This is mainly because unlike mindfulness meditation, Natural Meditation isn’t religious based, which means that there are no techniques, mantras, sounds or particular positions you need in order to do it.
Finding the best time of day for you will make it easier to incorporate meditation into your routine. If it feels like a chore or something forced into your day, you won’t be able to fully enjoy or relax during meditation, and as a result, you won’t experience its full benefits.
Meditation should not be seen as something done to achieve specific results. Instead, it should be viewed as a necessary part of your day, similar to taking supplements or drinking water. The act of meditation itself brings benefits.
Meditate In The Morning
Meditating in the morning allows your body to process all that has arisen overnight, as your body naturally settles into itself and allows you to start the day afresh. You will feel centered and focused to go through your day, with the clarity and deep sense of yourself to respond to what needs to be done, and being productive.
After using the bathroom and having a glass of water, meditating as soon as you wake up is a good approach if you tend to get easily distracted by the many things you need to do and often neglect meditation. You can meditate in bed, on a designated cushion, on the couch, or in a spare room if there are other people around.
If you have babies or young children, try meditating during their nap time or while they have their bottles. You can even sit on the floor or couch while they play nearby. With time, they will begin to accept meditation as a normal part of your routine. As a mother of a young child, I have found that meditating this way allows me to meditate more than once a day, and my child benefits from it as well.
Meditate During Lunch Hour
If your mornings are too busy or you want to meditate multiple times a day, consider taking 10 minutes or even an hour during your lunch break to meditate. You can close your office door and put up a “do not disturb” sign if needed. Alternatively, you can go to a park or garden, or even meditate in your car.
Meditating in the middle of the day helps you regroup after a hectic morning and provides stability for the rest of the day. Some workplaces have designated areas for meditation that can be used at any time. If you feel comfortable doing so, take advantage of these spaces. If your workplace does not have one, consider suggesting it as an option for those who may need it.
This will benefit both you and your colleagues and contribute to a positive work environment if everyone participates in meditation.
Meditate After Work
Meditating after work is helpful for processing and releasing the stresses and tensions of the day. It allows you to let go and resolve any unresolved issues from the workplace. By doing so, you prevent carrying the burden of the day and affecting yourself and those around you. This allows you to enjoy the evening afresh and unencumbered.
Meditate Before Sleep
Meditating before going to sleep will allow you to decompress from all the daily activities and events, leaving you feeling relaxed and ready for sleep. It will encourage a restful, full night’s sleep, leaving you fully rested and alert the next day.
If you can’t sleep at night it is good to sit up and meditate until you are tired and then you will more easily go to sleep.
Meditate When You Are Feeling Stressed or Anxious
This is something that you can do in addition to your regular meditation time. Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed in a situation, or upon hearing some news, having to make a decision etc. You can meditate any length of time depending on your time availability or till you feel calm and collected enough to continue.
Conclusion
You may be thinking, “How can I possibly find the time to meditate at all as I am already overwhelmed and over-scheduled?” Go over the blog again and work out which time works best for you. Is it first thing in the morning, during the day, after work, or before bed?
Meditation is a way you can find that sense of clarity and calm, especially when you are feeling frantic and out of control. Once you work out where just ten minutes a day can fit into your life, it will help you prevent feeling as such. By incorporating meditation into your daily routine, you can experience the numerous benefits of meditation.
Look at what time of the day you’re most stressed, and see if you can fit in at least 10 minutes to really just come back to yourself and inwardly deal with the stresses accumulating there. This will increase your productivity in all areas of your life.
Meditating consistently will also lessen the frantic feelings, allowing far more ease with life in general. When we meditate regularly, the benefits of meditation change our everyday lives now, and are long-lasting. Our stress levels go down, we connect with ourselves and others better, our focus improves, and we are kinder in general, to ourselves and people around us.
