Can Meditation And Yoga Help Teenagers Overcome Stress And Poor Mental Health?
Mental health issues have been an increasing concern among teenagers. Anxiety and depression in this age group have risen over the past several years. The tried and true solution is a combination of therapy and medication.
But there might be alternative treatments that your teenager may try. We will be discussing two of the most popular ones: meditation and yoga. If you need information on teenagers and the mental disorders affecting them, go to Basepoint Academy’s view page to learn more.
Let’s take a look now at how meditation and yoga can be the key to overcoming stress and poor mental health in teens.
What is meditation?
Meditation is a practice that allows you to focus your mind on a specific object, thought, or activity. The intent of this is to help you clear your mental frame of mind. Your mind will enter a state of calm throughout the session.
This is said to be an excellent treatment for those dealing with mental disorders. Mindfulness meditation is often one of the common forms of meditation that is used among teenagers. The purpose of this is focusing their attention to the current moment.
They will focus on this without any external distractions or judgments. The key here is to help teens become more aware of the thoughts and emotions they have going through their minds. Essentially, this is designed to help them manage their symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Teens are still in the process of understanding themselves. At the same time, they want to know what their place in the world is. To help them practice regular mindfulness is something that will ensure that they are more aware of themselves and in control of their thoughts and emotions.
Another type of meditation teens may want to consider is loving-kindness meditation. What this focuses on is the well-being of other people. Its main benefit is increasing the feelings of compassion and empathy.
One of the issues for those with mental issues (including teens) is building and maintaining positive relationships. This kind of meditation will help make it possible.
What is yoga?
Yoga is a type of exercise that includes physical postures and breathing exercises. Meditation is also part of the practice. It’s designed to reduce stress and physical tension on the body.
Some physical activities such as exercise are designed to help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. Like meditation, it’s also designed to help teens develop an even greater amount of self-awareness. Connecting the mind to body is one of the main purposes of yoga.
Yoga is great for teenagers as it addresses their individual needs. Each person is different when it comes to them. There are different types of yoga that they can utilize such as chair or restorative yoga.
Can both meditation and yoga help teenagers overcome stress and poor mental health?
Yes. Regular meditation and yoga can indeed help a teenager manage stress and poor mental health. To the point where they can be able to manage it with ease.
They will be aware of situations that are causing stress. They may also be aware of the negative thoughts and emotions they are feeling. What they can do during such situations is reframe negative thoughts into positive ones.
They can take a moment to calm their minds with a short mindfulness meditation. It can last anywhere from 60 seconds to about five minutes. It’s important for anyone, teenage or otherwise, to take advantage of these techniques especially when things tend to get a little stressful throughout the day.
While a teenager might not have the time to perform yoga in the middle of a school day, they might want to later on. For example, they can go home and perform a quick session. Afterwards, they can focus on their academic studies for a recommended amount of time.
It may be a good idea to consider setting up a regular schedule. This should include regular yoga and meditation practices. One session can be done in the morning and another in the afternoon or early evening.
If things tend to get stressful, a teenager can go someplace quiet for a brief meditative session. This can help them get through the day despite the stress. It will help them become more calm and focused as opposed to erratic.
Example of meditation exercise
A teen starting out with meditation or yoga shouldn’t start off with something complex. That’s why it’s important to start with the basics. You will need to find a quiet place, first and foremost.
Once you are able to, close your eyes. Then, begin a deep breath by inhaling for about four to five seconds. Hold for at least a couple of seconds followed by an exhale for a few seconds.
Repeat this for at least 1 to 5 minutes. You can extend the period of your sessions if you are comfortable. If you are at school, you may be pressed for time in between classes.
So it may be a good idea to do a quick session, if needed. If you’re doing it at home, doing five minute sessions can be possible. You can continue doing this until you feel calm in your mind.
This is a basic mindfulness meditation that you can do as soon as right now. We’ll give you a minute, if you want.
Final Thoughts
Teenagers can benefit from meditation and yoga. They might be a bit ‘off put’ by the idea at first. And we won’t blame them.
However, they will be surprised with the benefits they’ll acquire. They will feel less stressed and more in control of their mental health. This is a common practice that should be provided by teenagers (be it at school or at home).
This can be a great solution to the ongoing problem regarding teenagers and mental health. If you are a parent or educator, feel free to do this with your teenager or students.
