YARMOUTH, Maine — We could all use a little more relaxation these days, and one way to find that - many doctors seem to agree - is meditation, but it doesn't have to mean sitting in the dark and chanting.
Dr. Allyson Coffin is a chiropractor in Yarmouth, she says we should think of meditation like a cozy blanket that covers our brain.
"A lot of us think, 'I’m having thoughts in my mind,' or 'I can’t think of a blank space,' or 'I’m not saying ohm,' [I'm not doing it right]. That’s not true. You don’t have to make it that way," says Dr. Coffin. The best way to meditate, she says: start simple.
"So do a few deep breaths where you engage your diaphragm," says Coffin. "We have a nerve that pierces through our diaphragm called the vagus nerve. That’s our stress nerve, so if that nerve is never moving we stay in that fight or flight response."
How do you engage the nerve? Breathe from your stomach. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach and take a big breath in. Focus on moving your stomach in and out, while keeping your chest still. "If your belly moves you’re engaging your diaphragm. If not, you’re in fight or flight," Coffin explains.
Coffin recommends taking three big breaths to restart the brain. First, when you pull into work and park, take three big breaths before getting out of the car and walking to the building, “That kind of resets your body and you’re not going to miss that 15 seconds.”
You can also take those three big breaths in between different tasks at home or at work. Finish your day with three big breaths right when you get home, or before you start dinner.
"It will actually change your perspective because you paused and you have a break between one thing and the next," says Coffin.
Kids learn from watching. The more you practice meditation the more they want to try it, Coffin says, recommending that you try breathing exercises with the family.
As for best position for meditation? She says there is no wrong way, as long as you're relaxed. You can sit or lie down, but try to turn the TV off so you can focus on your breathing.