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There’s never been a better time to start a meditation practice than right now. After all, you’re already being forced to revise your daily routine to fit the challenges of COVID-19. Why not make one of those changes a wholly positive one that can benefit your mental and physical health? Now more than ever, mindfulness matters. Read on for pertinent tips, brought to you by Bare Skin Care.

Choose a Path to Inner Peace

If you’re brand-new to meditation, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to get started:

• Keep your practice screen-free and borrow a meditation book (or two) from your local library.
• Try a guiding app such as Headspace or Calm, which walk you through a variety of techniques and offer myriad topic-based meditations, such as programs geared specifically toward fighting anxiety, sleeping better or building confidence at work.
• Jump right in! Take a seat and focus on your breath. Breathe slowly and pay attention to how your chest rises and falls. If your mind wanders, note it, and gently guide it back toward your breathing.

Ultimately, there’s no "correct" way to meditate. Pick the method that feels right for you — and right for now.

Set the Stage for Mindfulness

When you’re ready to start meditating on a regular basis, prepare your home by tidying up and creating a vibrant, positive space for self-care and a healthy lifestyle. If your house or apartment is cluttered, for example, Psychology Today explains it can cause your mind to feel just as crowded. Getting organized, picking up after yourself and cracking the windows for a jolt of fresh air can imbue your living space with positive energy.

Once the overall vibe in your home is light and bright, it’s time to create a dedicated meditation space. This can be anywhere from that spare bedroom that’s been collecting dust and empty Amazon boxes to a small corner of your living room. What matters most is that your meditation area is a comfortable spot that you’ll look forward to spending time in each day.

While this dedicated space can be virtually anywhere, there are a handful of general tips to keep in mind as you prep your spot for peace and tranquility:

1. Use minimal décor and neutral colors for walls, furniture and/or fixtures to create a soothing space.
2. Incorporate natural materials such as wood and wicker to increase your sense of calm and help you feel more connected to the earth.
3. Set the mood for serenity with your lighting; you could choose an airy and bright atmosphere, for example, or opt for the warm glow of candles or Edison bulbs.
4. Minimize background noise. If a grumbling furnace or a busy city street nearby makes this difficult, utilize a white noise machine, download a soundscapes app or create a playlist of instrumental music.
5. Integrate relaxing scents such as cardamom or lavender using candles or an oil diffuser.

Reap the Rewards of Relaxation

You may already understand that regular meditation decreases stress and tension. What you may not know is that it provides a host of other health benefits as well. Studies have shown that meditation can:

• Sharpen your focus
• Increase your attention span
• Decrease feelings of anxiety and symptoms of depression
• Boost your empathy and compassion toward others
• Reduce social and psychological biases
• Improve your relationships with your partner and your children

Because of these positive mental health effects, Harvard Health Publishing notes meditation can indirectly benefit your physical well-being too. Lowered stress, for example, can lead to lower blood pressure and a healthier heart.

The end is hopefully in sight for COVID-19, but it has undoubtedly spurred permanent changes in your life. By making one of these the decision to begin a daily meditation practice, you can take back your pandemic power and look forward to decades’ worth of reinvigorated mental and physical health.