These 12-minute mini-meditations will slash your stress levels
Time outs may be torture for kids, but for overworked adults they’re sheer pleasure. Problem is, who has time for a meaningful mental break? Actually, you do. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that meditating for just 12 minutes can improve your mood. “You don’t need to be a monk to benefit from mindfulness,” says Andy Puddicombe, author of Get Some Headspace: 10 Minutes Can Make All The Difference. “Inner peace can be achieved in the time it takes to make a sandwich.” Here, he offers a day’s worth of minibreaks to clear your mind.
Sit in a comfy chair near a window, with your feet flat on the floor and hands in your lap. Take five slow, deep breaths while gazing straight ahead. Return to a natural breathing rhythm and imagine the sun’s rays coming through the window and warming you to the core, its brightness melting your stress and clearing your mind. (If it’s a grey day, envision gentle rain washing away your tension.) Enjoy the sensation for a few minutes, then stretch your arms and legs before rising.
Last updated: Wed, 2012-06-27 10:21