If you’re like most people, the first thing you do when you have a free moment is reach for your phone. But what if you choose to just be with your thoughts and meditate instead of scrolling?

Before dismissing the idea, consider the fact that nearly 18% of adults in the United States practice meditation. It’s the most popular complementary health approach, beating out yoga, massage and acupuncture. There must be a reason so many people are opting to take a mental break.

“As humans, we get cultured to be human doings. But the goal is to be human beings,” says MU Health Care licensed clinical social worker Jennifer Patrick. “‘Being’ is different for different people. But I think of it as finding a neutral state. That way, even when chaos is happening around you, you don’t get pulled in a million directions.”

Patrick offers meditation as part of her clinical practice. She also partners with Mary Beth Schillinger, another licensed clinical social worker, to lead the MU Health Care’s Peace of Mind Meditation Group. Together, they’ve seen the power of meditation for everything from relieving chronic pain to providing calm in daily life.

Thinking about giving meditation a try? Patrick and Schillinger share seven things you should know before you begin:

1. There’s No Right or Wrong Way to Meditate

Meditation is a way of tapping into your parasympathetic nervous system to relax, destress and be in the moment. But people often get caught up in doing it “right.” Instead of focusing on the right or wrong way to meditate, Patrick says to do what works for you.

“Meditation can help you release thoughts, emotions or tension,” she says. But you need to find a setting and a way of meditating that helps you find that release. Some people choose to meditate in a comfortable chair or in dim lighting. Others want to walk in nature.

“You don’t necessarily need to have an intention for every meditation either,” Schillinger adds. “The goal is simply to create a space or a pause.”

You can meditate and be mindful anytime, including while you are:

• Driving: Turn off the music and just listen. Can you hear noises outside? Can you hear the car’s fan or heater?
• Walking: Listen to the sound of your feet contacting the ground. How does the gravel or grass feel under your feet? How does the air feel on your skin?
• Washing your hair: Be mindful of the water’s heat, the soap’s scent and how it feels when you wash the shampoo away.

“Try not to let judgment come in or get wedded to outcomes,” Patrick says. “Just be in this moment, in this space, and see what happens.”

2. Guided Meditation Is an Easy Starting Point

If you feel more comfortable having structure for your meditation, consider guided meditation.

“Guided meditation involves a speaker who prompts your thinking,” Schillinger says. “You just let your mind go and listen.”

Guided meditation also teaches you practices you can use in your daily life, such as:

• Breathing deeply
• Bringing up a specific memory and emotion
• Doing a body scan
• Identifying and feeling an emotion
• Noticing your breath

If you find yourself in a stressful situation, you can use one of these practices to put yourself in a calm space.

3. Meditation Sessions Don’t Need to Be Long

A half-hour meditation can feel overwhelming, even for a professional like Schillinger. The good news is that meditation doesn’t have to last long to provide benefits.

Experts say just two minutes of meditation is beneficial. If that feels too long, Schillinger recommends starting with 30-second sessions and building from there. You can also incorporate multiple short sessions into your day.

4. Tweak Your Meditation Practice Until It Works

Don’t give up if your first meditation session feels uncomfortable or pointless. Just change something and try again.

“Think about what part of your practice felt helpful and what did not feel good,” Schillinger says. “Then customize and individualize it to be more effective.”

Patrick adds that not everyone wants to (or needs to) sit cross-legged on a pillow when they meditate. You can tweak your meditation in several ways, including:

• Movement: Experiment with sitting comfortably to meditate and then try it while walking or moving in some way.
• Setting: Patrick has some patients who prefer being outside in the open air while others prefer sitting in their closets, where they feel cozy and tucked away from distractions. Try different settings and decide what feels right for you.
• Sound: Can you relax better in silence? Or do you prefer the sounds of nature? Some people prefer that a female voice leads their guided meditation, while others like a male voice.

“For our patients, experimenting with meditation is their homework,” Patrick says. “Between sessions, they weed out what is helpful and what is not.”

5. You May Be Surprised by the Health Benefits of Meditation

People use meditation to manage a variety of health issues, including:

• Anxiety
• Blood glucose issues
• Chronic pain
• Eating disorders
• Insomnia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance addiction

“The body recovers better when we are relaxed,” Schillinger says. “Since meditation helps you relax and rest, it makes sense that you’ll see multiple health benefits.”

Patrick says her patients are often pleasantly surprised by the unexpected changes that happen with meditation.

“I have patients who say that they don’t have as much external or internal conflict in their lives because of meditation,” Patrick says. “Another patient tracked her heart rate for several weeks for a medical appointment, and it was lower. The only lifestyle habit she changed is adding meditation.”

6. Meditate Regularly for the Greatest Effect

Meditation can calm you in the moment, but it can also help you manage stress in the future. The key is adding it somewhere in your daily routine. Pair it with your morning coffee or meditate immediately after putting the kids to bed.

“If you meditate every day and develop a practice, you’ll naturally learn how to calm yourself and regulate your emotions,” Patrick says. “Building a habit like meditation creates new patterns in the brain (neuroplasticity). The more you do it, the more easily you can get into that state of peace.”

Just be careful not to get into a meditation rut, which can happen if you repeat the same meditation at the same time every day.

“Listening to the same guided meditation every day will eventually make it feel less effective,” Schillinger says. “Your brain likes novelty, so change it up and be open to trying different things.”

7. You Don’t Have to Meditate Alone

Meditating alone can feel challenging for some people — it can lack the accountability, support and socialization that a group offers. Whether you want to practice in a group setting or through an online session, there are ways to feel less alone when you meditate.

“There is something about being with other humans when you meditate that fosters a sense of connection,” Patrick says. She sees it with the MU Health Care Peace of Mind Group. The group meets in person to practice meditation, but the sessions are often recorded and posted online for others to use.

The biggest lesson they teach the group is that it’s critical to make meditation your own. “Mindfulness is a big umbrella,” Schillinger says. “Meditation is a piece of that, and there are many ways to practice meditation and bring mindfulness to your life.”

Next Steps and Useful Resources

• Want to speak with a mental health specialist? MU Health Care offers multiple including our behavioral health providers, licensed professional clinical counselors and licensed clinical social workers.
• Want to get started with meditation? Try one of our guided options today.