Exactly how and when to meditate, based on your lifestyle.
It’s safe to say that nearly everyone can benefit from a regular meditation practice. Not only is it valuable for the mind, but it’s also been shown to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and build more presence daily.
Some people “drop in” each day, spending 30 minutes or even an hour on their meditation pillow at home, but as a manager and teacher at Pure Yoga (an Equinox partner) in New York, I know it’s not always that easy. For every dedicated meditator, there’s a person with the best of intentions who struggles to set aside five minutes for their practice. Between long working hours, commute delays, household chores, and familial commitments, the modern world can make it challenging to squeeze in a meditation session.
I’ve long been a proponent of a more flexible definition of what “counts” as a meditation practice. So if you’ve ever felt like you don’t have time to meditate the way you’re “supposed to,” take a look at this guide to a few common meditation styles and find your ideal technique — one that you can implement into your distinct lifestyle. It doesn’t need to be so black and white. You can have it all.
The Morning Meditator
Good for: First-time meditators, people with hectic days who want to start their morning on a calm note, and folks who benefit from starting small and building from there.
Likely what you imagine when you think of someone meditating, this person starts their morning with a guided or even silent meditation — ideally daily.
Meditation apps often recommend starting a practice with morning sessions because, like exercise, it’s much easier to skip a session when your schedule is derailed. Morning meditations can also be helpful for people who benefit from habit stacking (most people do): Wake up, brush your teeth (an established habit), turn on your espresso machine (established habit), meditate for five minutes (new habit), and drink your coffee (established habit). Each day, you’ll rinse and repeat.
If you’ve never meditated, this might be the place to start since it’s arguably the most straightforward format and technique, with plenty of guided resources to support you. The morning meditation style is also well-suited to realistically growing a habit over time, so it’s an excellent option for new parents or anyone who feels like the day gets away from them as soon as they head out the door. Start with a consistent five minutes. Developing a longer practice will come naturally, evolving without effort and on your own terms.
The Moving Meditator
Good for: Individuals who find it particularly soothing to take a yoga class or go for a long walk when stressed and can drop into their meditation more easily when physically moving.
Yes, yoga absolutely counts as meditation. The Yoga Sutras are one of the most essential texts in the foundation of classical yoga. Defined by the modern father of yoga, Patanjali, there are 196 sutras. Sutra 1.2 — “Yoga chitta vritti nirodha” — commonly translates to, “Yoga is the cessation of fluctuations of the mind.” It’s ultimately the goal of yoga and is meditation in the purest sense.
While many yoga classes today focus on the physical posture-based elements of the practice, they are, in fact, still a form of meditation — just as they were originally intended. This type of meditation is distinct in that it is movement-based (though there are other types of movement meditations, such as walking meditation). If you have struggled with a more traditional sit-down practice, a moving meditation like yoga might be exactly what you need.
Another element worth considering: Yoga classes offer a communal element that may appeal to anyone who has had trouble meditating solo. If you connect better to the breath in class than while alone, consider trying other community-style meditation practices, including yoga, group meditations, and sound baths.
RELATED: Reclaim the Joy of Silence
The Commute Meditator
Good for: People who can’t find any time in their schedules for another new activity and folks looking to get the most out of every moment of their day.
This is the ultimate meditation format for those who are constantly running late or out of time. The commute meditation is ideal for someone who feels like their day is scheduled and locked from the moment they wake up to the moment their head hits the pillow at night.
Commute meditation is a way of rediscovering space in an overly crowded schedule, and it’s beneficial for stress management. In practice, this meditation type could take place for a few minutes while you are on the subway to or from work or right when you park your car; play a resonant sound on your headphones, close your eyes, and listen to your breath, using a five-minute timer on your watch or guidance from a video on your phone. Start simple — do not expect to achieve enlightenment or epiphanies — and offer yourself the comfort of knowing you can’t go wrong.
The “Pause” Meditator
Good for: People who often find themselves in high-stress environments.
Like the Commute Meditator, this person takes advantage of quiet moments in the day to meditate. However, the main difference here is that meditation is used before or during high-stress moments to find relief.
Everyone experiences stress to some degree, though some deal with it more significantly than others. If you are prone to anxiety or work in a high-stress environment, meditation can be very important to help you relax and calm your mind.
The “pause” technique is also an excellent meditation practice for leaders and executives — anyone who makes decisions that directly affect others. When you’re stressed, your thoughts can get mixed or convoluted, and you can make rash decisions. Meditation helps you focus on one thing, helping to clear the stream of thoughts in your mind that may be clouding your judgment or increasing your stress and ultimately leading to better mental well-being.
RELATED: Achieving Peak Tranquility Through Sound Meditation
The Evening/Sleep Meditator
Good for: Night owls, new parents, and anyone whose goal is improved sleep hygiene.
While most people start with morning meditations, the best time to meditate is when you will do it. For some, evening or bedtime meditations work best. Maybe you’re a new parent who has to get up as soon as your kids wake or you’re hooked on a 7:00 a.m. yoga class and, frankly, that’s the earliest you’re willing to get up. Evening meditations are also particularly beneficial for anyone who struggles with sleep or has a goal to improve their sleep hygiene.
Like morning meditations, evening meditations are suitable for beginners and don’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as a few minutes in bed before turning out the light. Start with guided meditations — such as the Headstrong sessions available on the EQX+ app — or visualizations, as they will help you ease into a practice with a solid foundation.
How to Determine Your Meditation Type
Ultimately, these so-called meditation types aren’t so cut and dry. Many people will benefit from implementing more than one into their routine; you might practice morning meditations daily and “pause” meditations on tough workdays. To determine what type might best fit your life, look inward.
In addition to knowing your personal preferences toward meditation, you also need to understand your personality and what resonates best.
Be mindful that this may change throughout the day. If you’re feeling stressed and are craving time for yourself, a sound- or breath-focused meditation may be more appropriate at that time. But if you’re feeling energetic and your mind is active, a movement-style practice or grounding body scan might be more appropriate to balance that energy.
The key here is granting yourself flexibility and grace — you’re only human — while also recognizing that part of meditation is about being honest with yourself and making space for a new way of being. Give yourself the comfort in knowing that there is no right or wrong, only the opportunity to be in the moment without pressure.