Mindful meditation helps boost mood, promote better mental health

Mindful meditation could help with anxiety From CTV Kitchener’s Heather Senoran: Experts say mindful meditation can help manage anxiety and improve moods.

KITCHENER — Many people are feeling on edge as they try to manage stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to experts, mindful meditation can help boost your mood, along with promoting better mental and emotional health.

Meditation instructor Tammy Lawrence-Cymbalisty runs TLC Services and said she's seen more people interested in looking after their soul since the pandemic began.

"To get away from the anxiety and stressors that are everywhere around us," Lawrence-Cymbalisty said.

All of her classes are now virtual.

"People like the fact that they can just be in their living room and turn on their computer and we're just there live-guiding them," Lawrence-Cymbalisty said.

"It kind of puts you in your happy place," said Elaine McLean. "She uses colours and all kinds of images."

McLean said it's also helped her find her centre.

"It's a good thing to do," she said. "It's the best hour of my week."

Lawrence-Cymbalisty said it doesn't need to be an hour. Meditating can be as long or short of a session as you want.

"Even something as simple as focusing on the breath or relaxing different parts of the body to become more present," she explained/

People new to meditation can focus on their breathing as a good first step.

"As soon as your mind wanders off into thinking about something else, you try and think back and try to focus on your breathing again," said Raunak Patel.

Patel, a biomedical science student, started a meditation club after COVID-19 came to the community.

"(It had) 100 or 200 students just on the first day of making the Instagram page," Patel said.

Some studies suggest that meditation may even help with things like lowering cortisol levels and blood pressure.

Taking the time to ground yourself can help boost moods at a time when people might need an extra pick up.