My regular beginners’ meditation classes start at 6:30pm. Each week at least a few students, sometimes all of them, turn up already yawning. As someone about to try and hold their attention for an hour and a half, this can be a little worrying. But most of the time it's fine, as I’ve normally only just finished my day job twenty minutes before the class starts and I’m likely yawning too!

The point is all of us know what it’s like to feel wiped out from time to time. In fact, a 2018 study suggested that adults can spend two hours 56 minutes per day feeling tired… that’s an hour of unnecessary flatness when we could be raising our vibration!

There are various remedies for fatigue that work pretty well. But sitting with your eyes closed, slowly bringing yourself into a relaxed state might not seem like one of them. However, people, who start to make meditation a regular practice are often pleasantly surprised at those feelings of increased energy it gives them.

Learning why this happens helped me to recognise improvement that occurred in my early years of meditation practice. So, if you need a bit of motivation to get started, or keep your practice going…keep reading! 

Why does meditation boost our energy?

When it comes to deciding how we can maintain healthy levels of energy, sleep, diet, hydration and exercise are the most commonly discussed factors. But much less discussed is how our levels of stress significantly add to fatigue. And, as stress levels have steadily increased over the last few decades, there’s no better time to learn what it does and how to fix it. Stress is linked to just about most forms of ill health. One of the main reasons for this is that any amount of stress releases a hormone into the body called Cortisol. In turn this activates our ‘Fight or Flight’ mode, getting us ready to avoid danger and do our best to deal with whatever’s making us stressed in the first place. The problem is, Cortisol is powerful stuff!

A fast-acting chemical designed to make us hyper alert and ready for action, too much Cortisol being released due to stress, causes a number of energy related problems. You can experience mid-afternoon energy slumps, worn out legs and even bursts of anxious thinking that can keep you up at night. But, luckily for meditators, there have been numerous studies proving meditations ability to keep Cortisol to a minimum. Over time this helps regulate your body’s natural Cortisol cycles. Meaning natural energy is released in the morning helping you wake up, and then gets topped up throughout the day to keep you going! Another common energy killer, that’s sure to have you desperately reaching for an espresso, is the dreaded sleepless night... According to recent findings, 48% of the UK adult population report not getting enough sleep. Here again, we find that meditation shows itself to be a versatile and powerful solution. Along with the already mentioned reduction in stress, lowering your risk of ‘thinking yourself awake’. 

Meditation also increases the production of brain waves known as ‘Theta’ and ‘Alpha’, putting the body and mind into a deep relaxation. Both of these brain wave states can help you rejuvenate on tired days, moving you one step closer to a good night’s sleep. All these improvements to your mind brought on by regular meditation naturally begin to think more clearly. From there you’ll likely start to make better decisions as well as healthier lifestyle choices. This happens in part because meditation improves what’s known as the brain’s ‘Executive Function’. Sometimes referred to as the brains ‘Air Traffic Control System’ it’s responsible for things like multitasking, concentration and something called Inhibitory control, which has a lot to do with stopping bad habits. You may be likely to exercise more, drink

more water and make better diet choices, all of which are essential to keeping you energised. Much proof clearly exists that building a regular meditation practice will awaken and boost the natural depths of energy in your mind and body. 

So, what can you do to discover these amazing benefits for yourself? How to get started?

Luckily, gaining all these improvements doesn’t require studying advanced Yogic practices or hours spent in deep silence. A schedule that is achievable for most, is to aim for 3 weekly sessions of between 10-15 minutes each, spread through the week if possible. Basic beginners’  meditations designed for relaxation or stress management are best. Committing to making meditation a regular part of your life is a challenging but transformative journey.

Bringing with its numerous benefits to mind, body and spirit. Not only will your ability to rest and feelings of abundance improve, but by developing your inner energy you will increase the most intentional and creative parts of your nature - putting you in the best position to experience a more enriching life, filled with magic and vitality!