Integrating Meditation Into Your Day

I’m struggling to fit in my second meditation around my other commitments and mealtimes, any tips on how I can fit in my second meditation? Should I do 10 minutes if I can't do the full 20? And can I do two lots of 10 mins instead?

It is incumbent upon us in our modern world to be adaptive. That is a fact of life. And so yes, if you can’t do 20 mins, do 15. And if you can’t do 15, definitely do 10 as a minimum. And if you only have 10 minute gaps in your day but can squeeze in two of them in place of your normal 20 minute session, then that will be a very worthwhile tactical measure to take when needed. Smokers take 10 minute breaks all day long. If they’re allowed to take six fag breaks a day to engage in something which is a net negative for themselves and the company, then we have every right to snaffle the odd ten minutes to engage in something which is to everyone’s benefit! You can also explore the possibility of whether there is an opportunity to do the second of your day before lunch? (or during lunch and before you gobble).

If you’re struggling because you have exercise you wish to do, then you’ll have to make a judgment call. If the exercise is motivated by a desire to lose weight, meditation, via the mechanics of balanced insulin resistance and reduced stress, will have a greater and more sustainable impact on your weight levels than exercise, but if you can combine both than that would be brilliant.

If the exercise is being done for the feel good factor, then fair play. However, it’s worth being cognizant of the fact that feeling good starts in the mind and flows outwards. And heavy exercise gives us a nice juicy hit of endorphins but it doesn’t last into our day. If it did, gym bunnies would all be zen, but it’s very rarely the case, in fact heavy exercise can actually be disturbing to us. There are physiological and neurochemical reasons for this.

If it is to compete, and that’s your passion, you’ll have to weigh up the relative merits of both if you can’t fit them in. Meditation obviously trains the mind and allows you to be a more capable athlete and so could easily be considered an important part of your training.

If you’re difficulties in scheduling the second meditation in are because you are the mother of young children, then sometimes we have to revert to doing whatever we can, especially when we have family responsibilities. However, we also have a responsibility to the family to keep ourselves in good shape as we are the lynchpin of the household ;) So maybe aim for 11 a week instead, until the kids are a bit older and more self sufficient, then go for the full programme. You may also wish to consider coming on a retreat so you can hit the reset button and get yourself in tip top shape so you can thrive in your role as wife and mother as well as being able to feel you are authentically living your own reality.

If exercise or work is preventing you from being able to commit to the meditation, it is also worth checking in to see if you’re trying to prove something to yourself, or perhaps others. If when you look inward that appears to be the case, know that this technique will help you transcend the need to prove yourself and will usher in an ability to simply be your best self, which will be far more fulfilling for you, and far more inspiring to others.

Whatever the challenge to your practise, in endeavouring to fit it in, we recommend you consider the following:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” -- Aristotle

The term neuroplasticity – where the brain develops according to experience – may not have been around in Aristotle’s day, but he clearly understood the importance of habituating positive experiences which meditation offers us!

If you need more help, feel free to reach out to me.

Can I meditate close to having eaten if there is no other time?

I believe if you keep the meal light to cut the hunger cravings, then I would always encourage to go for the meditation. If you find you are really hungry before a meditation, then try having some fruit or a light snack and have your meal afterwards.

If it comes down to not meditating at all after a meal, then always lean towards meditating.

I’m a shift worker, and I sometimes find it difficult to work it around my shift patterns. Do you have any tips from other shift workers on how they fitted it in?

This can be tricky, as your circadian rhythms will be all over the shop and your body may feel too tired to meditate at times. If in doubt, always prioritise meditation over an extra 20 minutes of sleep.

And definitely try and keep at least 4 hours of each day consistent where you’re always sleeping ie 2am-6am. This will make a big difference to your biological rhythms. If sometimes you sleep 10pm-6am and other times you sleep 2am-10am, then at least the 2am-6am segment of the night is preserved every time.

If this is not possible, then meditate as much as you can (upto 2 x per day), it is vital for your long term health. The alternative is to find a job that is kinder on your mind and body.

Can I use the meditation close to bedtime to help me get to sleep? And what about meditating in the night if I wake up?

I would advise you to favour doing the meditation before dinner if you want the best sleep. Doing your second meditation at least 2 hours before bed ensures you get the maximum benefits from integration with everyday experience, and will also ensure the meditation doesn't energise you.

However, it's not a super rigid rile that you must follow, it is simply best practise.

It may also be worth you consulting my Top Tips for Better Sleep, as it may be that there are things you are doing in your everyday life which are throwing your nervous system out of balance and causing sleep to be compromised.

One of the things you can do is do your second meditation before dinner and then listen to some yoga nidra before bed.

As for using the meditation to get back to sleep? Doing this occasionally is fine and good, but don't make a habit of of it, otherwise your brain will start waking you up for a fix of meditation induced endorphins! Simply lie there quietly, with palms facing up, and let your vague awareness be gently on the dominant sensation in your body. This sensation will likely cool down in time and then you can move onto the next dominant sensation. This is very effective for getting back to sleep.

Any suggestions about how we work it in around the gym?

There is a marginal preference towards doing it after the gym. This is because it will balance out any of the straining influences of gym work, such as excess built up of lactic acid, overactivation of our Sympathetic Nervous system, or imbalanced hormonal profile. So our suggestion would be to do your gym work/exercise, shower, get changed, and then sit to meditate. We often get reports that the meditation is smoother and more delicious as well. However, if in the morning is easier to meditate first than to go to the gym, by all means do that.

In the evening, it is our very first suggestion to ensure you meditate after any intensive exercise, otherwise it will likely be very detrimental for your sleep quality. Biologically speaking, it is always vastly more preferable to do intensive exercise in the morning. If doing exercise in the evening, keep it as gentle as possible if you can.

If you are finding it a challenge to fit your exercise regime and meditation, it's worth acknowledging that the condition of the mind is always more important than the condition of the body. If you arer slogging away at the gym for hours it might be worth condering to talour your gym workout down to 45 minutes at a time. After this time our bodies release more cortisol (stress hormone). When we workout, we are voluntarily putting ourselves in a stressed state.

If you are looking to improve your cardiovasuclar performance, then meditating before exercise can be beneficial.