Everyday life is full of chaos and stress. Moving your way through such a chaotic life can be challenging and very stressful. One needs to manage too many things – from professional commitments to social obligations, from ensuring the family's health to balancing work-life. Meditation can be a big help and has proven to be highly influential with most people. Guided meditation is the best way to get started on achieving a stress-free life. It does not need to be more than few minutes every day – just about ten minutes a day is enough to help you derive maximum benefits.

What is guided meditation for stress relief?

As the word 'guided' precedes 'meditation,' this form of meditation is done with an expert like Mr. Activated who guides you through the mediation journey to help derive the required results. If you are suffering from stress, you must speak to a meditation coach who will motivate you and work with you to help free yourself from tension and anxiety.

What does guided meditation entail?

The coach is first going to help you understand what meditation is all about . He will also train you on how to go about the process. As we all know, meditation is about sitting in a relaxed posture in a conveniently located place and focusing on your breathing. If you are working to alleviate stress levels, you need to be aware of your breathing and feel it as it spreads to the belly and across your body. Every inhalation and exhalation needs to be focused upon because doing so gives your mind a positive direction. The breath is the only connection we have with our life. When the breath stops, life also does stop. Hence, in a guided meditation for stress relief, you are taught to feel your breathing, and even when the thoughts wander off, here and there, you will get conscious and learn to get it back on your breath again.

Mindful breathing also helps you visit and revisit stressful situations, analyze the various conditions that led to the problem, and open your heart to accept the outcome without any negativity or prejudice. Another aspect of guided mediation is that you are taught how to stimulate the Vagus nerve.

What is the vagus nerve, and what is its role in keeping stress levels down?

You must have felt that whenever you are stressed, you are in fight or flight mode. Typically, when we are stressed, hormones like cortisol and adrenalin fill the body. Over a period, these hormones create havoc with our defence system, mind, and body that directly lead to health issues.

At times like these, the Vagus nerve puts a restrain on the flight or fight mode because it connects all the major organs to the brain. Stimulating the vagus nerve can help alleviate stress and keep your emotions and thoughts under control. One of the best ways to promote this nerve is to practice guided meditation for stress relief. It involves slow and deep breathing exercises that move the mind's focus from stressful factors to the breath.