Meditation and mindfulness practices are important tools for enhancing mental health as an athlete. While the stigma around mental health was greatly reduced in recent years, alot of people still think meditation is something only anxious or depressed people need to do.
That’s not true at all.
That would be similar to saying exercise is something only overweight people need to do. Meditation and mindfulness are how we train our minds, the same way we keep our bodies in shape. There are lasting benefits for you as an athlete in your sport life, personal life, and future career goals.
Here, we will explain what these terms mean, and suggest resources and tools for athletes who want to meditate for the first time.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a reflective exercise that practices awareness of your feelings and emotions and being present in your surroundings. The technique has been shown to reduce stress and improve focus to pull you away from overthinking. It helps to quiet negative thoughts that stop you from being in the present moment.
In short, when practicing mindfulness, you are fully aware of your surroundings, your space, and what is moving through it.
Mindfulness can be practiced by sitting down, standing, or even light exercise (walks, light jogs), as well as taking short breaks in the day to observe your surroundings. If you’re new to this practice, we’ll mention a few apps further down in the article that have guided mindfulness practices to help you get started.
Breathing Exercises
Timed breathing exercises such as box, cyclic, and resonance breathing are useful for reducing stress and anxiety. Meditation through breathing has numerous benefits, including improved sleep patterns, less chronic pain, and improved decision-making and memory capacity.
Grounding
Grounding is a self-soothing skill that creates distance between your thoughts and feelings by training your mind to be present. Simple practices such as finding a comfortable position and spending a few minutes concentrating on the inhale and exhale of your breath can help alleviate anxiousness and create a degree of presentness.
When faced with intense levels of anxiety and emotion, grounding can help you overcome negative thinking patterns for better mental health.
Mindful Walking
Mindful walking is a mindfulness technique that uses meditation to build awareness of your surroundings, putting you in the present moment while walking.
Unlike more traditional forms of meditation that practice sitting, mindful walking seeks to connect you with your outward environment through senses and sensations rather than focusing on breathing and stillness. Walking meditation brings energy to the body, adding an element of vitality to meditation.
Much like sitting and stationary forms of meditation, mindful walking is versatile in where you practice it, whether you stroll through your local park or simply walk around your house.
How to Get Started
For those of you who have never meditated before, it might seem like it’s a hassle or a lot of work to get started. However, there are many convenient apps, or even free videos online, that can guide you through any of the practices mentioned above.
We highly recommend using a guided session if you are new to meditation and want to learn how to get started.
Meditation apps such as Calm and Headspace can help center your thoughts and ground you in the present to avert negative thinking patterns. And of course, the ISNation app also has mindset training and guided meditations created specifically for athletes and to help alleviate the common stresses athletes face.
Check out the ISNation app here.