Why Meditate in the Morning?

I often get asked the question: 'what is the best time of the day to meditate?'. I often reply that there are different benefits to be had from meditating at different times. For example, a meditation after work can help one to let go of the day, and a meditation before sleep can help the mind to settle and resolve the tensions and issues of the day, thus aiding sleep. So what about the morning?

Doing a morning meditation can help with setting you up for the day in a number of ways:

It can set the tone of your mind (and re-set the nervous system!), especially if it is the first thing that you do (rather than reading the news or going on facebook for example). That is, it can help to settle any small anxieties that may arise from anticipating challenges in the day ahead, and can set an intention to remain positive and mindful for the rest of the day.

Often we carry thoughts and worries from the previous day. Meditating in the morning can help you to identify what these are, and how to approach them in the day ahead. We can often find that they are not as troublesome as we initially make them out to be.

If we have had a restless sleep, a morning meditation can help create a smooth transition into the day. We thus carry less of what has been keeping us restless into our day.

If we practice a kindness and compassion meditation first thing in the morning, this can raise our sensitivity toward our own and others’ well-being for the rest of the day. We become more alert to thoughts and emotions that may cause problems.

Finally, there’s always a good chance that if you adopt a habit of morning meditation, you will be more likely to take mindful pauses throughout the day, which can help you to maintain your awareness.

Happy sitting!