Many people ask me this question! They want to know the best time to meditate each day — especially if they are new to meditation practices.
People’s lives are busy, so they are looking to make the most of every opportunity they can. So what do I tell them?
Here are several things to know about the best time to meditate.
1. The best time to meditate is in the morning.
In the morning, you are still fresh. It is the best time to center and ground yourself. You are still calm from your sleep, and you can bring that spirit of peace with you into your meditation practice. It is a nice transition from rest into a more centered day.
At the start of your day, you are clear and able to focus more readily on your mind and even your breathing. You are not yet burdened by the chaos, busyness, and momentum of the day that sometimes clouds our judgment and perceptions about ourselves.
I like to remind people how a morning meditation impacts them throughout the day. You will notice that when you start your day centered and balanced, you will carry more of that balance with you throughout the rest of the day. You will actually experience more calm and stay centered throughout the hills and valleys of your day.
If you start your day with meditation, you have already carved out that time in your daily routine. It is more difficult to carve out the time later in the day when you are already busy, stressed, and caught up in the momentum of your day. Many times, people have the best intentions to take a lunch break or afternoon break during their workday for meditation, but usually, it just doesn’t happen.
When you think about it, it actually takes more energy to pull yourself away from work and change your focus to be able to meditate. It is better to start at the beginning of your day when you are fresh, clear, and calm.
2. There are benefits to meditating at night as well.
People who meditate in the evening, before bed, find that they bring themselves back to balance before sleep. This approach helps you discharge your day and let go of your stress. Meditation becomes a way to release that tension of the day’s events and worries.
As a result, you will feel more rejuvenated before you go to sleep. Nighttime meditation will help you wake up more refreshed and energized for your day.
3. Focus on building a habit of meditation.
This third point is my way of redirecting the question away from the time of day toward the importance of building the habit of meditation. So, when choosing your time to meditate, do what is best for you, but just do it!
If you are just starting to meditate, consider starting in 5-minute blocks of time. Consistency is the key to meditation when you are starting out. Five minutes each day is better than a one-hour block of meditation time once per week.
Make meditation a positive daily habit that you don’t have to think about. Make it as much part of your routine as your breakfast or morning coffee. You can build your amount of time as you start to experience the benefits of meditation.
For a video presentation on the question “When Is the Best Time to Meditate?” click here.
