Meditation can also stabilize your stress, as numerous studies show that regular meditators have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their brains versus non-meditators. When the mind or body is stressed or in fear, your body will release cortisol. In the short term, elevated cortisol levels are necessary to help the body focus through temporary emergencies, but long term, excess, lingering cortisol levels can wreak havoc on body systems, harming memory, immunity, blood pressure, and more. “Meditation is one of the best practices to calm the nervous system and give cortisol an outlet for release,” Bowser says. “By returning to the present moment, meditators give their body and mind a chance to disengage from the body’s natural fight-or-flight response and gain resiliency in the face of heightened anxiety.” The question is, though, where are you going to meditate? While you can meditate anywhere, even while you’re walking, it’s helpful to create a calm and comfortable environment for meditation. This could be your bed, chair, or a corner of your home dedicated to meditation. While you don’t need a specific at-home meditation space per se, it can help make your meditation more special and personalized, and even help enforce the habit. Want help figuring out where to meditate? Here Bowser offers a few inspired suggestions for carving out a designated meditation nook at home. RELATED: 11 Glorious Reading Nook Ideas That Work for Any Space
