Meditation and relaxation exercises can be remarkably effective in addressing anxiety, stress, insomnia, phobias, panic episodes, test or other performance anxiety, and other similar concerns. These strategies can take as little as five or ten minutes and once or twice a day.
Free meditation resources
- Healthy Minds is a good, free meditation app; it is a product of the of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- The UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center offers several free, downloadable, audio recordings and transcripts of guided meditations in several languages.
- The UCSD Center for Mindfulness also offers several free, downloadable, audio and video recordings of guided meditations.
- The New York Times offers a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to meditate; the guide includes detailed instructions and free, downloadable audio recordings.
- Search for “guided meditations” to find extensive audio playlists on the music streaming services offered by Google, Apple, Amazon, or Spotify, or conduct a search on YouTube, TicTok or other social media platforms to find relevant videos.
Subscription smartphone meditation apps
Happier, Headspace, Calm, and Meditation Studio are examples of popular apps; each offers limited free resources and more extensive ones for a monthly fee. There are also apps which integrate religious practice with meditation–for example, Hallow is an app designed for Christians interested in prayerful meditation.
Progressive muscle relaxation exercise
I’ve recorded audio instructions for what is known as a “progressive muscle relaxation exercise.” Anyone can listen to the instructions directly from this webpage or download the MP3 file onto their own computer or smartphone.
Tips for developing your meditation and relaxation skills
- Listen to a few different guided meditations and relaxation exercises, find one you like, and then practice whichever approach you prefer once or twice a day. Expect your ability to relax to improve as you continue practicing, and expect to practice two or three weeks before you become reasonably proficient.
- Once you learn your preferred approach well, you may no longer require the recorded instructions, and you can tailor the approach to your own liking.
- Adopt a calm, accepting attitude towards your practice. Don’t worry about how well you’re doing or about possible interruptions. Instead, know that with repetition your ability to relax will grow.
- As you work through the meditation or relaxation exercise, you can expect your mind to wander—when this happens you can simply redirect your focus back to the recording.
- As you become skilled with your approach, try applying it to specific situations that might otherwise be anxiety provoking, such as difficult social situations, tests, oral presentations, job interviews, and so forth. You might also meditate or do a relaxation exercise just before bedtime to improve sleep, or first thing in the morning to feel centered as you start a stressful day.
Learn more about meditation and relaxation exercises
Consider signing up for a program at UCSD’s Center for Mindfulness. The center’s broad range of workshops and classes are open to anyone, offer expert guidance in mindfulness and meditation, and are offered either in person or online via the internet.
You might also learn more about meditation by reading one of these books:
- Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book, by D. Harris, J. Warren, & C. Adler, 2018, Harmony Books
- Practical Meditation for Beginners: 10 Days to a Happier, Calmer You, by B.W. Decker, 2018, Althea Press.
- The No-Nonsense Meditation Book: A Scientist’s Guide to the Power of Meditation, by S. Laureys, 2021, Green Tree.
Steve Sprinkle, PhD 