Classes in Gorleston... learn how to find calm anytime, anywhere.
Perhaps you’ve heard about meditation or mindfulness and wondered whether it’s something you could try to reduce stress and aid relaxation. Research, anecdotal evidence and scientific data have proved an abundance of health and wellbeing benefits that can be experienced from meditating. These benefits range from physiological to psychological and are deemed significant enough that mindfulness (one of many types of meditation tools) is now recognised and recommended by the NHS.
When we reach a relaxed but focused state in meditation, we are essentially giving our bodies and minds a break; a chance to recover and rebalance. This can lower blood pressure and heart rate. We can attribute this to a range of the core outcomes of meditation working together, like reducing stress, breathing more effectively, and being able to relax more readily. The lowering of these vital indicators can result in further benefits, for example lowering blood pressure can prevent serious cardiovascular conditions like heart attacks and lowering heart rate can improve the strength of the heart muscle and increase physical endurance.
People who meditate often find they sleep better; not only can it help us fall asleep, but it could result in a better quality of sleep and sleeping through the night. Around 20% of the UK population has trouble with their sleep, often due to anxiety. Meditation both aids relaxation and empowers us to release our ‘emotional clutter’, giving us tools to safely let go of thoughts and emotions that keep us awake at night. As sleep is so vital for our overall health and wellbeing, simply improving this can have a domino effect of improving other aspects of our lives.
Meditation can improve digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, decrease the aging process, and reduce muscle tension. It can ameliorate PMS and menopause symptoms, alleviate migraines, and strengthen the immune system which in turn can positively impact the quality of life for those with cancer.
It can dramatically reduce stress, anxiety and mental ill-health. This is due to the body and mind relaxing during meditation, meaning that the ‘stress hormones’ adrenaline and cortisol are reduced. Because meditation nurtures peace and tranquility and teaches us to let go and release tension and negative mind chatter, we can experience a changed perspective. We can feel more balanced, even in high intensity situations, can find we are able to be less reactive, and can feel gratitude for our realities rather than focusing on the aspects of our lives that we interpret as negatives.
If all these benefits aren’t enough, meditation can also lead to creative and innovative thinking, an ability to complete tasks quicker and to a higher standard, it can support us in finding a purpose, feeling connected to something outside ourselves, and having love and respect for our planet and all that inhabits it.
I’ve mentioned just a few of the mental, emotional and physical benefits meditation can bring… and the best thing is that all we need to practice meditation is our own minds and bodies – no expensive equipment or gadgets needed! Intrigued to try it for yourself? Come along to one of my classes in Gorleston, suitable for beginners upwards:
Mondays 11am-12:30pm at The Pavilion – in the upstairs studio as part of their Wellbeing Hub. It’s £10 and this includes a hot drink during our break halfway through the session. Book to attend any Monday that suits you via the Pavilion Box office online, by phone or in person. Details and bookings: https://www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk/whats-on/1173667471
Tuesdays 7:15-8pm at Riverside Pilates & Wellness Centre. £38 for a block of 4 consecutive weeks. Details and bookings: https://watchthesunrise.co.uk/book-a-class/p/tuesday-meditation-class-715-800pm
If you’d like to find out more about me, you can visit my website where you’ll also find a FREE guided meditation to download and my blog about all things meditation.
Emma
Watch the Sunrise – Teaching Meditation & Mindfulness
P.S. Useful links for more local classes:
The Pavilion Wellbeing Hub now offers a variety of regular sessions including: singing for lung health, groove & glow dance, chanty choir, creative writing, art for fun, script reading, knit, stitch & natter, owlets corner, and bereavement café. Find out more online: https://www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk/whats-on
Riverside Pilates & Wellness offers a wide range of exercise classes for all abilities, across many locations in the local area. Find out more here: https://www.riversidepilatesandwellness.co.uk/