There are five main aspects of personal health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual. In order to reach and maintain optimal wellness, you need to make time every day for each of them.

If you already make an effort to reach the recommended 150 minute minimum of physical activity per week, you’re doing a great job with the physical aspect. Why not take care of your spiritual and emotional health at the same time? Adding guided meditation to your fitness regimen can help you do just that.

On top of that, learning how to meditate can bolster your fitness routine as well. To learn a few of the benefits of meditating before or after exercise, just keep reading!

Increased Stamina

Meditation focuses your energy and attention, increasing your stamina and allowing you to get the most out of your workout.

By meditating before exercise, you’ll find that you’re less likely to become bored mid-workout and instead find greater motivation to power through. This increase in stamina and focus will also help you to prevent injury.

Greater Potential for Muscle Growth

Whether your goal is to tone or build muscle, meditation can help you do it. One of the many benefits of meditation is that it balances your hormones, including the growth hormone needed for muscle growth. You’ll reach your goals much faster than you would otherwise.

Lower Cortisol Levels

Along with the hormone required for muscle growth, meditation also affects your body’s production of cortisol, the stress hormone that can work against it.

Now, putting stress on your body during exercise is necessary for improvement. However, cortisol spikes can lead to inflammation and other unfavorable consequences.

Meditation is one of the best post-workout habits to get the most out of your routine, as it will keep your cortisone levels from spiking, even after the most challenging workout.

Faster Recovery

As you’re likely aware, your fitness doesn’t improve as you exercise but as you rest. Although your body does its best reparative work as you sleep (making sleep meditation a worthwhile activity), you can also help your body get into repair mode post-workout with a guided meditation.

Meditating post-workout will ease any aches and pains you experience, as well as lowering your stress, allowing you to sleep more soundly at night. Remember, sleep is the foundation for every other facet of your health. Without it, your body can’t function optimally and certainly can’t build or tone muscle effectively.

Add Guided Meditation to Your Exercise Routine Today

Don’t get stuck on the decision of practicing guided meditation before or after your workout. As long as you’re adding it somewhere in your routine, you’ll reap the benefits.

Do what feels right for you. If you find that you’re more productive in your workouts when you meditate before, do it. If meditation helps you to cool down post-workout, that’s great too. At worst, it doesn’t hurt to meditate before and after your workout.

For more health and wellness advice, take a look at our blog!