Coronavirus Response: How Meditation Can Help Us Cope With Stress, Anxiety Caused By Pandemic
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We're all doing our best to stay calm during these uncertain times. But do you need a little help eliminating the stress in your life?
Our Pat Gallen shows you how meditation can help ease your mind.
During this particularly stressful time, there are ways to calm our anxieties.
If you have just a couple of minutes per day, mindfulness meditation can be a step in the right direction.
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During this particularly stressful time, there are ways to calm our anxieties.
If you have just a couple of minutes per day, mindfulness meditation can be a step in the right direction.
Dr. Diane Reibel runs the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program at Jefferson University Hospital.
"There's a lot of research and science right now around mindfulness meditation and basically it affects our brains in ways that allow us to focus our attention more clearly, to have better emotional regulation," Dr. Reibel said.
"We are living in a very difficult time. How can meditation be used to help people who might be going through new anxieties and stresses?" CBS3's Pat Gallen asked.
"Mindfulness, specifically, helps us to anchor into the present moment," Dr. Reibel said. "So just for example, if I'm really focused on the present moment I'm here now, I'm with you. Fortunately, I'm safe. Now, my mind can go off and catastrophic. Mindfulness would be able to help me navigate that."
She says beneficial changes also occur in our cardiovascular and immune systems with regular practice.
Jasmine Bailey is a teacher with Vitality Meditation and says it all comes down to making the effort -- every little bit can help.
"The first thing I would do is to set up space – even if it's a corner in your room. Wherever you feel you know that sort of sense of 'I can be still here without too many distractions.' After that, I would not put a limit on the amount of time I choose to be mindful," she said.
If you'd like to know more about the program at Jefferson University Hospital, click here.
For more information about Vitality Meditation, click here.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR PAT GALLEN'S FULL REPORT