Written by Leah De Luca | www.betteryoutravel.com

This year has been disruptive for just about everyone. All these external shifts have an undeniable impact on our internal-worlds (whether we realise it or not) affecting us emotionally, mentally and physically.

Coping with so much change can be challenging to say the least, and often it is our physical body that will experience notable strain. Many people might feel drained, depressed, anxious, irritated – change isn’t easy, my friends and for most of us, it’s about coming to terms with the fact that things might never really be the same again.

We also have less access to our go-to support systems. Spending time with friends and family, freely heading to the cinema, a restaurant or your favourite workout class. All these activities and interactions we relied on to help relieve our stress and escape the mundane are no longer so freely accessible.

On the upside, many individuals have taken this time as an opportunity to explore alternative methods of stress regulation with online and guided meditations rising in popularity this year.

So what defines meditation exactly, and how can it help you? In short, meditation is the practice that combines awareness and breathing techniques to train the mind for higher levels of attention and alertness while also obtaining a calm state of being. The nuanced state achieved by meditating is quite hard to describe – it’s something you must experience for yourself.

The physical and mental benefits of a regular practice are abundant and range from increasing anti-anxiety and restorative chemicals in the body to increased creativity and promotion of better self-regulation in terms of fear and stress as well aiding a healthy sleep pattern.

All this yummy interconnectedness might seem a bit overwhelming to a beginner. So where to begin then? If you’ve never meditated before here are some top tips to getting started:

1) Do it first thing in the morning. Doing something first thing in the morning is a great way to create a new habit and meditating each morning is a great way to start your day. It’s a win-win.

2) Don’t overthink it. There is no perfect way to meditate.

3) Circle back. It’s an absolute certainty that your mind will wander. When you notice your mind wandering, be kind to yourself, smile and circle back to your intention. I like to envision a filing cabinet, and as my thoughts arise, I take each one and file them away, returning to my stillness.

4) The best tip I can offer is to use a trusty Mindfulness and Meditation App. Getting started on your own is fantastic. But eventually, you’ll want to explore different types of meditation, perhaps some more visualisation practices or guided meditations or meditating with different sounds.

There’s a long list of apps on the market, but let’s be honest, not all apps are made equal. So, to cut through some of the noise, we’ve shortlisted our favourite apps for beginners.

10% Happier

Mindful.Org describes this app as a “relatable, no-nonsense way to learn mindfulness for people whose goals veer more toward sharpening their brains than befriending their souls.” This app was designed for sceptics to help you keep going with fresh content added weekly to keep things exciting. 

Free with optional in-app purchases. Available for download on Android and iOS.

Insight Timer

Probably the most active meditation app on the market with almost 10 guided meditations uploaded daily. Browse thousands of guided classes to help begin building your daily habit. Plus, jump into discussion groups with exciting community features.

Free with optional in-app purchases. Available for download on Android and iOS.

Headspace

Headspace has become one of the most downloaded meditation apps to date and for good reason. The app builds personalized plans based on little input from you, so you can learn the essentials of meditation and build from there.

Free with optional in-app purchases. Available for download on Android and iOS.

Calm

Calm is the perfect meditation app for beginners with a dedicated seven-day beginner programme to get you started. The app covers the basics of mindfulness, and there is also a library of soothing nature sounds and scenes to use at your leisure.

Free with optional in-app purchases. Available for download on Android and iOS.

Simple Habit

Simple Habit dedicates the bulk of its library to brief sessions and is the perfect fit for busy people on the go. Commit just five minutes a day with the Simple Habit app, and you’ll enjoy less stress, improved focus, better sleep, and better breathing.

Free and Paid Version. Available for download on Android and iOS.

What apps do you use? Let us know in the comments below!