Meditation for Anxiety: How It Works & Tips for Getting Started

What Is Meditation?

The most central tenet of meditation is awareness of the present moment. It is simply identifying that moment, over and over. It is important to let go of any judgments around the concept of performance or mastery when learning meditation. On a fundamental level, meditation is uncomplicated, and there is no such thing as failure.

Other concepts to consider when meditating act as tools to promote the present-moment awareness. A person’s attention will wander during meditation, and coming to an acceptance of the process of thinking, planning, worrying, daydreaming, or any other forms of distraction is completely natural.

This allows a person to conceptualize non-judgment, which makes letting go of these thoughts possible. We call the letting go process non-attachment. When we notice our mind wandering, we let go of the distractions. Noticing them, not criticizing, and simply return the attention to the awareness of the present moment.

How Does Meditation Help With Anxiety?

Anxiety is the result of fear or worry that the brain interprets as life-threatening. The brain assumes a dire need to think about these non-life threatening stressors until the threat is resolved.⁴ Meditation brings attention back to the present moment. By doing so, an anxious person can realize that they are not in literal danger and calm down.

Furthermore, meditation strengthens the part of the brain that is responsible for choices and decision making.⁵ This can help identify the choices we have about how to think and respond to our anxiety.

Benefits of Meditation for Anxiety

Meditation can help strengthen important parts of the brain. Although it may not be right for everyone, meditation can be effective, and have a significant number of positive effects on mental and physical health.¹⁰

The benefits of meditation can include:^10,11,12

• Lowered blood pressure
• Restructured pathways in your brain for different, healthier cognitive approaches
• Increased size in the parts of the brain responsible for learning and memory, emotional regulation, perspective-taking, and self-awareness
• Increased presence in the present
• Reduced anxiety levels
• Increased quality of life, according to some researchers
• Increased levels of loving kindness and self-compassion

Is Meditation Effective for Reducing Anxiety?

Multiple studies have indicated that meditation, and more specifically mindful meditation, helps to manage symptoms of anxiety, stress, or panic. Studies have reported behavioral, mood, and brain changes associated with meditation practice. It is widely supported in the mental health community both as a self-practice and as a therapeutic tool, often utilized in counseling sessions supported by organizations like the American Psychological Association, Mental Health America, and Harvard Medical School.^3,8,9

Meditation is not a cure-all, and should be approached with an open mind. All individuals are different, and what works well for one person and their anxiety may not work for another.⁵

8 Meditations to Calm Anxiety

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to practice meditative acts with or without strict meditation. Many of the practices listed below can help to slow down a person’s thoughts, foster awareness, and help to strengthen the part of the brain that allows this process to be available when needed.⁵ It is recommended to try out more than one way of meditating and decide what works best for you.

When you’re ready, take a moment to slow down with any of these meditation practices:

1. Breath Work

The essence of mindful meditation is to follow the breath. Your breath is always available to observe and follow. To start, close your eyes and take a deep, deliberate breath. Notice the way it feels. Hold the inhale for just a moment, and then sigh it out. You can do this a few more times to anchor the connection to your breathing before you return to natural inhales and exhales.

Follow the experience of breathing with curiosity, noticing if any thoughts arise, and letting them go when they occur. It is truly that simple. If your mind wanders a lot, that is perfectly fine. Remember that a core element of meditation is letting go of judgments around performance. For people new to meditation, guided imagery for anxiety is extremely helpful. Someone providing instructions and reminding you to return your attention back to the breath can help you to practice the process.

There are even variations on breath work that can be explored as you get comfortable with this process. Some enjoy controlling the breath through meditation, counting inhales and exhales, and some choose to use other anchors than the breath as they sit still. Following a flame, image, or listening to a specific sound are other ways to meditate.

2. Walking or Moving Meditation

Walking meditation takes the moment to moment awareness of inhaling and exhaling during breath work and transfers it to the process of walking. It is helpful to practice walking meditation slowly, one step at a time, and checking in with the tiny muscle movements of your foot, toes, legs, and arms. Notice the way your clothing feels as it moves against your body. Pay attention to the way walking changes your breathing.

Observe the environment around you. What sounds do you hear, what do you see, or smell? There can be a lot of sensory information to observe while you are moving so it is important to take your time. Remember, the goal is simply to notice.

There’s no evaluation necessary of the observations, just acknowledging that they are present and channeling something called the “beginner’s mind.”⁶ View the environment around you and the sensation of walking and breathing as if you’re noticing and appreciating it all for the first time. Yoga can also be a form of moving meditation.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is extremely helpful for anxiety or stress management. It can also be done through the form of a “body scan.”² It involves checking in with sections of your body, one part at a time, and focusing on relaxing those parts of your body. You might notice as you check in with them that there are muscles tightened without your conscious awareness. When you practice consciously checking in with each part of your body, you can choose to relax these areas.

Because progressive muscle relaxations and body scans are so extensive, they can be time consuming. Utilizing guided meditations through this process can help an individual stay on track. There are recordings available online through apps and YouTube to help.

4. Guided Imagery

This is another useful tool for relaxing. Guided imagery is used in meditation and hypnosis,⁷ and allows a person to imagine they are in an environment that cultivates a feeling of calmness. It is often helpful to imagine places in nature, or places you associate with feelings of peacefulness.

It can be a location you have visited or one you make up for the purpose of this exercise. Allow yourself to notice the details of this location so that you can commit it to memory and call upon it later when you want to feel peaceful again.

Again, it is highly recommended to use a guided meditation for the imagery so that you do not have to think about how to guide yourself. There can be many opportunities for ways to relax into this process that are more difficult when you are trying to remember what to think about.

5. Loving-Kindness Meditation

If you would like to foster feelings of love and kindness toward yourself or others, this is an excellent outlet. This form of meditation often revolves around a mantra for anxiety to recite aloud or repeat in your mind to cultivate these feelings and share them with others. This is also a helpful meditation path to follow when forgiveness is needed toward one’s self or for someone else.

6. Mantra Meditation

Mantra meditation involves repeating a phrase or word multiple times throughout your meditation. It can be any kind of word or phrase to help you focus, or it could be an affirmation. The idea is that by focusing on this word or phrase, you are able to release your mind of all the other chatter that may be going on. It helps to overall improve your focus and concentration.

7. Transcendental Meditation

This is a mantra-based meditation, however the goal is to enter a state of transcendence. The mantra can be any noise or sound. Unlike most other meditations, there is no emphasis on having control or any specific focus. The meditation is aimed at allowing you to go wherever you go.

8. Focused Meditation

Focused meditation is different from mindful meditation in that you don’t attempt to clear the mind. Instead, you choose a sound or feeling or other focal point as a way to come into the present and give your mind something specific to focus on instead of all of the thoughts that usually run through it. It is a great approach for first-time meditation practicers as anyone can get started simply by selecting something to focus on.

Other Meditation Practices That May Help With Anxiety

There are other types of meditation that can take a more spiritual path that are available to explore if you are interested. Transcendental Meditation, Qigong, Vipassana, mantra and chakra are just a few. Many incorporate similar themes of centering oneself with an object of focus, and some incorporate more specific breathing techniques or movements to channel this process.

How to Practice Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety

There is no perfection of the practice of meditation. The theory that meditation requires you to clear your mind is a misconception.That would be impossible! Rather, practice noticing when the mind wanders and redirect your attention to the breath or movement. The more you do that, the more you are strengthening the part of the brain that practices awareness.⁵

Find a Comfortable Position

Find a comfortable position. This can be on the floor, a chair, or on your bed or couch. Make sure your body can fully relax and you are able to connect to all parts of your body.

Bring Your Awareness to the Present

Find a way to come back to the present. Ask yourself questions about the here and now to help you reconnect with only the present moment so you can practice your mindfulness meditation. If your mind wanders to your plans for the day or anxiety about an upcoming event, find a way to bring yourself back to the moment you’re in.

Acknowledge Your Thoughts as They Arise

Understand that as you work to get to the present, you will have thoughts that come up. Let them come and go, and remember you are currently in the present. Some people like to imagine their thoughts as leaves floating down a stream.

Reflect on Your Practice

When you are finished with your meditation, take some time to think about how you feel, how that meditation helped and what your intention is for the rest of the day. Combining this with journaling is a great way to instill mindfulness habits into your routine.

Everyday Ways to Practice Meditation for Anxiety

There are a lot of ways to begin mindfulness meditation for anxiety. You can fit this into your day in a lot of ways. Some ways include:

• Repeat a mantra throughout the day
• Take a mindful walk
• Listen to a motivational speech
• Try a short guided meditation practice
• Journal in a quiet place
• Stretch or practice yoga mindfully

Try a Meditation App for Extra Guidance & Accountability

When you first sit down to meditate, it may feel difficult, uncomfortable, or even a little silly. Meditation apps can be helpful tools for many who don’t know where to start on their own. Apps and programs can be helpful for guidance and tools, but some may not meet the need, personalization, and engagement that certain meditators might require.¹⁵ However, that does not mean helpful meditation apps do not exist.

Meditation apps work by guiding the person into different levels and timed sessions (ranging from as short as a minute up to an hour) where they will talk the individual through a meditation, often using breathing as a focus during the session. After this point, they may use guided imagery, relaxation techniques, body scanning, or other tasks to keep the individual engaged and accountable in the session. Often, they will have a debrief at the end where they bring the person back to the surface and, sometimes, even have them reflect or review the session and take notes. These can be highly helpful in keeping your mind focused as it is easy to drift off while meditating. Some apps that follow these steps and are often talked about include Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer.

What If I Can’t Meditate?

Alright, so you feel like meditation is not working for you. Meditation does not necessarily apply to everyone- even if you don’t have a trauma history- and people often need individualized treatment and techniques. If meditation is not working for you, that’s okay! There are a number of other options available to help manage anxiety.

Other ways to help manage anxiety include:

• Improving your daily self-care habits (Like eating balanced and regular meals, drinking liquids, trying to get enough sleep, etc.)¹⁷
• Engaging in art, music, drawing, writing, and other creative formats of self-expression.¹⁶
• Finding physical activity that you enjoy to help lower cortisol and increase dopamine output.¹⁶
• Breathing exercises (often inhaling and exhaling slowly).¹⁷
• Challenging your thoughts and recognizing the daily obstacles you have overcome. It can also help to consider what may have triggered the feelings of anxiety in the first place.¹⁷
• Talking to others- trusted individuals, family, or mental health professionals- who empathize and can be in the present with you.¹⁷
• Using grounding exercises (like shaking your body, using cold water on your hands, the 333 rule, and the 5-4-3-2-1 method).
• Distracting yourself if you are feeling like you cannot calm your anxiety (reading a book, TV, seeing a loved one, watching comedy).

Mindfulness & Meditation Work, But Aren’t for Everyone

Although meditation is a wonderful tool for many, it may not work for everyone. Meditation has been found to be widely effective for a variety of health-related concerns, but some individuals will not benefit or are at risk of a deeper concern as a result of mindfulness techniques. Some researchers noted that certain counseling theories posit that meditation encourages dissociation.¹² Overall, meditation can be highly effective in mental health treatment but may not pair well for those with trauma and major life stressors.

While mindfulness is considered an effective tool for anxiety, this does not consider those who have experienced trauma. During one study, those who had histories of trauma and life stressors reported significant levels of distress while meditating.¹³ Another study further supported this with documentation of meditation-related adverse effects (MRAE); a significant amount of individuals experienced MRAE, even over a month later, including the most common MRAEs of feelings of anxiety and traumatic flashbacks.¹⁴ These researchers noted that difficulty in childhood was a factor in risks for MRAE.

When to Seek Professional Help for Anxiety

While meditation is an excellent tool to help alleviate feelings of anxiety, there are times when the feelings are overwhelming and seeking additional support is necessary. Symptoms like racing thoughts, panic attacks, or insomnia might make life too difficult to make interventions like meditation feasible at the moment. Furthermore, you do not have to wait until symptoms are that severe before reaching out to a therapist for assistance.

If your anxiety feels unmanageable, do not delay in finding a therapist. An online directory is a good place to start looking for a mental health professional who specializes in your needs and population.

Final Thoughts on Meditation for Anxiety

If you are experiencing anxiety, meditation can provide a simple, self-led way to alleviate some symptoms. Many therapists incorporate elements of meditation into their practice, and can provide you with a helpful support person as you begin your meditation journey. Anxiety does not have to be suffered alone, and receiving support as you learn how to manage the symptoms can be life changing.