Meditation is a popular activity that is participated by yoga instructors and people from all walks of life. What about older adults? Do they need to start incorporating meditation into their lives too? Meditation has actually been steadily gaining traction in the elderly community and all for a good reason. This practice has had a positive effect on older adults, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Here are some reasons why meditation for the elderly is so important.
Meditation for Older Adults
Professionals have stated that meditation is a great idea for the older generation. With all the activities, challenges, and distractions in life, finding a healthy way to deal with life’s happenings is remarkably critical. It is noted that meditating helps people achieve a sense of peace which is like a reassuring calm amongst all the chaos of life. Apart from providing relief to stress, meditation has also helped people to derive with solutions to various complex problems while promoting better sleep, increasing energy levels, and reducing blood pressure.
Visualization, Meditation, and Mindfulness
Visualization and mindfulness fall under the scope of meditation. How do these three activities differ?
Visualization
This is another form of active meditation which is often practiced by actors, athletes, and individuals who engage in business. Visualization helps them to improve performance and it can also help them to get better sleep and have improved immune response.
Meditation
Meditation is an effective way for the mind to find a way to self-regulate itself. Feeling compassion, love, and patience are common during meditation. The goal of this practice is to help clear the mind of clutter and experience the feeling of ultimate peace.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is one form of active meditation which is practiced throughout the whole day. Conversely, meditation is often done for up to one to three sessions in a day across one hour each or up to a total of three 10-minute sessions. The objective of mindfulness is to make you aware of your feelings and thoughts. This can in turn help you recognize any negative emotions almost immediately instead of letting them spiral out of control and cause stress and anxiety. Another way that mindfulness is practiced is while eating. It can allow you to truly savor and enjoy the food while at the same time helping you to avoid overeating.
Incorporating Visualization, Meditation, and Mindfulness
If you are thinking of incorporating visualization, meditation, and mindfulness into your or your loved ones’ daily life, find out more about the different techniques from a professional. You can help the elderly relax their mind so they can focus on positive things instead of wandering off without an aim. At Mariposa, residents are offered a wide array of health and wellness programs that can stimulate their senses to provide them with mental relief. They will be free from stress and anxiety which can be unhealthy for them, mentally and emotionally. To find out more about our senior living programs, inquire with our senior living professionals today.