Try meditation to de-stress and boost your energy
Meditation is a practice that involves focusing on something specific to allow you to shed the many thoughts that usually occupy your mind.1 Meditation techniques include focusing on your breathing or sensations in your body such as pain, warmth, or tension.1 Or focusing on an image, an object, or a repeated word or phrase often called a “mantra”.1
Meditation may help you feel less anxious and stressed, and it may improve specific symptoms:1,2
- Pain
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Nausea
- High blood pressure
- Concentration problems
- Mood swings
Meditation may help because:
- The process of concentrating on something other than your thoughts enables you to clear your mind3
- When your mind is calm and clear, and in a state called “mindfulness”, you more easily experience joy and accept and respond to stress3
- Being mindful means you pay attention to current feelings, thoughts, sensations, and behaviour without making any judgement about them1,3
If you decide to try meditation, it is best to get a certified, experienced instructor to help you.2,3 Once you have chosen your focus and have begun your session, you will learn how to pull your focus back whenever your mind wanders;1 your ability to re-focus will improve with practice.1,2
Ideally, you will meditate for at least 15 to 20 minutes twice a day, but even 5 minutes a day can help.2 It is better to meditate for a short while every day than for a longer time less often.2
Although meditation is generally very safe and can be practised while you are receiving treatment for cancer, it can worsen symptoms in people with psychiatric issues (depression, anxiety, mania, or psychosis). If you have any type of mental illness, ask your doctor before trying meditation.1,2 It is always advisable to talk to your doctor before trying any complementary therapy.2
Glossary