How long after meditation shows its perks?

Nowadays we hear a lot about the benefits of meditation, one of the many reasons to meditate is spiritual connection and relaxation.

With this being said how do you know if you’re doing meditation the right way? How should you practice to reap the benefits of mindfulness in your life? Should you have a short relaxation after waking up or do it for the whole week?

This study digs into the research to uncover the ideal length of time to meditate so you can make the most out of your meditation. Here are 5 elements that determine how effective your meditation is:

• frequency of the practice sessions
• the period of time you practice
• adherence to practice instructions
• competence, and understanding the context of why you practice
• enjoyment

Inexperienced meditators found that 8 weeks of 13-minute daily meditation decreased negative mood, enhanced attention, improved memory, and decreased anxiety.

This indicates that repetition matters. 13 minutes of meditation per day is enough to affect and boost your lifestyle.

Practicing for 13 minutes once every few months isn’t likely to provide as many benefits as practicing daily for 5 minutes. In the end, there’s no “magic number” for how long to meditate.

What’s most important is that you choose a length of time that’s:

• realistic
• practical
• repeatable 
• enjoyable

Remember to take it easy. Meditation isn’t a marathon. It’s more about surrendering than winning the clock.

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