How Long Does Meditation Take to Work?

How Long Does Meditation Take to Work. A man looks at his watch.

If you’re battling with stress, anxiety or insomnia, you want relief now, not in 3 months’ time. So how long does meditation take to work? Find out here.

Most people take up meditation to address specific problems. You may be dealing with stress, struggling with anxiety, or suffering from insomnia. These issues have a significant impact on your life, so you want to see results quickly. So how long does meditation take to work?

The answer is, it depends on what kind of meditation you use. Some types of meditation have an almost immediate impact, while others take longer to work.

With the right meditation technique, you’ll see some benefits very quickly and more benefits as the weeks go on.

When you’re a busy professional with a lengthy to-do list and a stuffed calendar, time is precious. You can't afford to spend months trying to achieve inner peace.

Thankfully, some forms of meditation give you results a lot quicker.

Different types of meditation

When you hear the word ‘meditation’, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Buddhist monks sitting cross-legged in silence maybe, or chiming bells and flickering candles? In reality, meditation takes many forms. For example, some meditation techniques use focused breathing, while others use a mantra, visualisation or external ‘props’ such as chimes.

Zen meditation, where you sit upright and attempt to enter a meditative state, can take months, if not years, to learn. While it’s certainly not a "get better, quick" solution, it can bring many benefits to those who learn it.

However, when you’re a busy professional with a lengthy to-do list and a stuffed-to-the seams calendar, time is precious. You can’t afford to spend months trying to achieve inner peace.

Thankfully, some forms of meditation give you results a lot quicker.

How long does mindfulness meditation take to work?

Mindfulness is a skill, and like most skills, it can take a bit of time to master. You’re basically trying to retrain your brain, so most practitioners recommend sticking with it for at least six weeks before you decide whether it’s working for you.

Over time, you should notice that you’re feeling more content, less stressed, less irritable, and less anxious.

You may well experience some benefits after just the first session, but the effect is likely to be quite short-lived to start with. As you get better at being mindful, the effects should last for longer.

How long does Vedic Meditation take to work?

Vedic Meditation is one of the easiest types of meditation to learn. You don't strive for a meditative state, focus on your breath, or attempt to control your "monkey mind". Instead, you repeat a personalised mantra in your head.

Your mantra naturally de-excites your nervous system and moves your mind into a state of deep rest. In short, the mantra does the hard work for you.

Because of this, most people see results after just a few days.

Your mantra naturally de-excites your nervous system and moves your mind into a state of deep rest, allowing your mind and body to let go of stress, anxiety and past traumas. In short, the mantra does the hard work for you.  Because of this, most people start to see results after just a few days.

As a recent student told me, “Within one day I was sleeping better and felt a lot calmer.”

The benefits build over time as you become more accustomed to daily meditation.

So, within a few weeks, you can expect to feel much more energised, much less overwhelmed and much more productive.

“Since learning this easy meditation technique only a few weeks ago, my sleep is much deeper, I'm no longer waking up every hour, I am much more focused at work and I am getting more done, I have energy to enjoy life after work (which wasn't always the case before), and my levels of stress and anxiety have significantly decreased.”

Laetitia Martin

 Digital Marketing and Fundraising Consultant

How to learn meditation quickly

Vedic Meditation courses are held regularly in London. To find out whether this is the right meditation for you, book your place on a free online talk.

Attend a free online talk to learn how Vedic Meditation can calm your mind.

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