Have you just started meditation or are you planning to start?
At the first stage, a question that constantly comes to mind is, “When will it take effect?”.
Scientific research, experts, sites, blogs, spouses, friends suggest and explain meditation. Naturally, this situation creates a great expectation for those of us curious about meditation. This expectation is not actually an illusion. Meditation is not magic, but it has truly enchanting effects! But our untimely expectations can cause us to suppress our progress. Therefore, it is useful to examine the effects of meditation by considering the time factor.
First of all, if you focus too much on whether the meditation is working or not, this can reduce the effect of the meditation. That is because focusing too much on results can trigger stress or anxiety, on the contrary. This attitude takes you to focus on the past instead of now and here. Whereas when you focus on the moment, you will realize that even your daily meditation might be enough to change the moment.
The Short-Term Effects and Long-Term Benefits of Meditation
There has been a lot of research on the effects of meditation, and as a result of research, it is observed that meditation can show its effects very quickly. But meditation is actually a personal experience. For example, it is important to find the type of meditation that is right for you to see the effects more quickly and clearly. The types of meditation differs in terms of its effects as well, and along with this, we can personally observe the effects differently. In other words, the duration of the effects may vary from person to person.
However, there is an unchanging truth that you see the effects of meditation most when you practice regularly. Because the moment you meditate is the most effective form of meditation: it calms and stabilizes the mind momentarily, keeping the mind flow focused, which can shift to negative thoughts that trigger stress and anxiety, and when the meditation ends, a clearer mind emerges. This “clearer mind” state over time maintains its own balance outside of meditation.
This phase that affects the momentary state and consciousness is seen at the beginning. Most beginners do not feel any change after meditation. Especially in the first attempts, you may go straight back to your old self, that is, before meditation. If you are having such an experience, you should not worry that you are doing something wrong. Because the natural state of the process is gradual. What matters is to maintain stability.
While daily meditation first adds calmness, regulates mood, reduces anxiety, and increases the ability to focus; in the long run, it causes a change in the nervous system and an improvement in the brain, which is scientifically proven. Recent studies show that after a 2-week meditation program, meditation can have an effect on the brain and increase cognitive performance. When a regular meditation program is applied -about 8 weeks- the Effects of Meditation on the Brain provides a permanent development.
How Long Does Meditation Take and How Often Is It Done?
According to research conducted at the University of Waterloo in Canada, 10 minutes a day, as long as it is stable, is enough to give results. You can avoid forcing yourself, especially at the beginning. Over time, your practice of standing in meditation will also improve and you will be able to deepen your meditation even more. In the first phase, you can focus on maintaining motivation and ensuring daily continuity.
How Long Will It Take to Experience the Benefits?
Experts recommend a minimum of 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practices for cognitive functions to work better during the day. If 10 minutes is too much, you can try for 5 minutes and gradually increase the time. Your determination is more important than your length! In order to maintain a daily practice, you can try mindfulness meditation in different places during the day. During actions that do not require active thinking – sitting, walking, eating, etc. simple tasks – you can make time for daily meditation and make mindfulness a part of your life.
If you’re asking how long you should be patient to see the effects, in short, 10-20 minutes of regular daily meditation practices over several weeks or months you will start to see thepositive effects.
If you are just starting out, just be patient because when you make it a habit, you will be able to directly observe the benefits of meditation!
Now that you’ve researched when meditation takes effect, you’re ready to start meditating! Yet, if you’ve lost your motivation and you’re actually trying to find the motivation to keep going you can also find other answers you are looking for in our articles!: Meditation Guide for Beginners and How to Make a Meditation Habit
