Finding Calm

Frequently asked questions

• Does meditation calm the nervous system?

  The physiological effects of stress are understood — it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing a release of stress hormones (epinephrine and cortisol) into the bloodstream. None of that is good for blood pressure, heart health, blood sugar levels, or the immune system. But when we choose to relax mind and body through meditation, the parasympathetic nervous system is instead stimulated and this stops stress hormones being released, so you will naturally feel less stressed. This is the benefit of a calming meditation, essentially soothing the nervous system and allowing you to breathe easier and feel more relaxed, therefore lowering your blood pressure and heart rate.

• Does meditation make you calmer?

  Most people feel a little more calm, grounded, and relaxed after meditation. Why? Because when anyone is stressed or overwhelmed, their sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, causing a release of stress hormones (epinephrine and cortisol) — blood pressure goes up, heart rate increases, and the breath can become shallow. When you meditate, the parasympathetic nervous system is instead stimulated and that stops stress hormones being released. Research shows that a calming meditation leads to reduced stress. A 2018 study found that medical students saw a 12% decrease in stress after using the Headspace app to meditate for just 10 days. That same study found that participants who used the app for 30 days saw stress levels reduced by a third.

• How do you meditate to calm your mind?

  The Headspace app has its own teachers that lead this calming meditation, guiding you step by step. But in short, the key to calming the mind is to sit somewhere comfortable, hands in your lap, and then take five, deep breaths — in through the nose, out through the mouth — before closing your eyes. You will use the breath as your object of focus; in other words, this is where you will place your attention. It can help to begin silently counting those breaths: 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale, 3 as you inhale, 4 on the exhale, and so on, up to 10 … and repeat. There is nothing “to do '' except guide your attention back to the breath each time the mind gets distracted by a thought. This is a quick calming meditation that can take us out of a spiral of thoughts and bring us back to the present, as and when needed.

• What is the best meditation for everyday anxiety and stress relief?

  A calming meditation is a good way to feel less anxious/stressed in the moment. It is a technique that involves placing your attention on an object of focus — the breath, a visual image, or an actual object — to cultivate a state of mental calm and stability. The practice involves teaching the mind to let go of distracting thoughts by placing attention on the object of focus whenever the mind wanders. The Headspace app incorporates a calming meditation into many of its in-app exercises, and one popular exercise is this Finding Calm meditation — an eight minute meditation that uses the box breathing technique.