Why Meditation During Exam Prep is a MUST-DO!

You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes everyday – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour

Old Zen Saying

The fast-paced life of the  21st century has become quite frustrating and all of us are grappling with anxiety issues. Stress, depression, mental ailments, and a lot of other diseases are linked to increased pressure that has become a part of the rat race. We ourselves are a part of this rat race. This is inevitable, we cannot change it but what we can change is to improve our health and take concrete steps to maintain our sanctity. 

As students, taking care of your mental health is imperative from the preparation point of view as well as from the result-oriented point of view. Having a calm mind will let you focus better on your studies. You are bound to have panic attacks, anxiety, and sad thoughts while preparing for an exam. In this time period of uncertainties, having mental stability is all the more essential. There are various ways of attaining good mental health like exercising, journaling, etc. We are going to talk about one of the best ways out of all. 

By now you must have guessed what I am now about to say!

Meditation is the only tool for healthy mental health and success in your exam preparation. Meditation is basically like an exercise of your brain where you sit quietly and give a break to your brain. There are various meditation apps and tutorials that you can follow for meditation. The most basic technique for meditation is to sit comfortably with your eyes closed and focus on your breath. This enables the mind to shift focus from the hustle and bustle of our daily work leading us to a state of peace. 

Meditation is the key to unlock your true potential.

According to research at Harvard University, there were steady positive changes found in the brains of people who meditated for a month. The study used Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that scanned and recorded the activities and the images of the brain. Hence, it is surely a proven tip that meditation does bring a positive change in us.

Some proven facts related to meditation are:

Decrease in the deterioration of the brain

According to Yale research reports, meditation increases your gray matter and helps in lessening the effect of brain deterioration.

Enhancement of brain plasticity

Meditation increases the number of neurons present in the learning and memory part of our brain. 

Decrease in Stress

Meditation has also proven to decrease the number of neurons in the anxiety-causing part of the brain. Hence, it is an excellent way to manage the stress and anxiety many of us feel during our preparation.

Improvement in sleep schedule

Meditation has proven to have an effect on your sleep and it is beneficial for treating insomnia. You can practice meditation in the morning or at night to see benefits in your sleep schedule.

Now let me tell you some of the types of meditation that you can follow to improve your concentration and focus.

Types of meditation 

• Mindfulness meditation: This meditation technique involves focusing on your feelings, worries, anxieties, and being mindful of them.
• Mantra meditation: In this type of meditation, one sits in one place and works on their ability to focus by chanting mantras.
• Guided meditation: This one is good for a beginner as a meditation guide will tell you how to go about with your meditation. Check out apps like Headspace and Calm for guided meditation.
• Breathing meditation: This technique again helps your mind to focus as you close your eyes and focus on your breaths.

Benefits of Daily Meditation

Let us now see what benefits you can incur by practicing meditation daily.

1. You will have an increased amount of creativity, intelligence, and thinking abilities.
2. All your stress levels will vanish.
3. You will be more productive and focused on your studies.
4. Meditating will lead to significant cuts in your depression and anxiety level.
5. You won’t be developing any cardiovascular diseases or mental illnesses.
6. You will become a happier person with better self-esteem and confidence.
7. Reduction in distractions and achieving a better will power.
8. You will ace all those tests you have been preparing for! 

Meditation is surely a great way of relaxation and rejuvenating your brain. It also helps you in becoming an efficient entrance exam aspirant. Try to include meditation in your daily routine for just 5 minutes and you will surely feel a change in your overall health.