Photo taken in Barcelona, Spain

Between the coronavirus pandemic, an uncertain future both economically and environmentally, its not a stretch to say that these are times filled with stress, anxiety and worry unlike what many of us have experienced before.

But with tens of millions around the world being asked to shelter in place for weeks if not months to come, it could also be an excellent opportunity to cultivate a new habit that recent research has shown can reduce anxiety while improving your memory and focus.

Some of you will not be surprised to learn that Im talking about meditation.

A study by researchers at New York University found that less than fifteen minutes of meditation a day for eight weeks can reduce anxiety, fatigue and mood disturbance.

The study published last year in the journal Behavioural Brain Research involved groups of people between the ages of 18 and 45 with little or no experience meditating. One group of participants spent 13 minutes a day in guided meditation while a control group spent 13 minutes each day listening to a podcast.

Throughout the experiment, participants were given tests meant to gauge their response to stress, mood and cognition. After eight weeks, the meditation group was generally in a better mood, able to focus more and remember things while also responding more positively to stress.

Interestingly the participants did not show any results after only four weeks of meditation, suggesting a longer term investment is required to see benefits from the practice.

Even relatively short daily meditation practice can have similar behavioral effects as longer duration and higher-intensity mediation practices, the paper reads.

The study is one of several showing that meditation can improve thinking and might do so by actually reorganizing the networks in the brain.

A regular meditation practice is also recommended for everything from weight loss to improving leadership skills.

The key, the new research suggests, is not how long you can sit in stillness for a stretch, but consistently integrating it into your daily schedule.

With our daily schedules now very much upended and stillness at a surplus for many of us (at least when the kids are asleep), it could be the perfect time to start a new habit that may help you get through the months ahead.

Originally posted here:

Now Is The Perfect Time To Start Meditating, And Science Proves It - Forbes