Can meditation help with chronic illnesses?
Many people with chronic illnesses, we are bombarded with suggestions by friends and family. “Have you tried yoga?” “What about meditation?” (check out my post here on how to manage unsolicited advice). But in many cases, we are in too much pain or too fatigued to try book classes, try out new things and do research. So, when there are so many different kinds of ways to meditate, where do we start?
Deep Breathing
For beginners, the simplest form of meditation is deep breathing and is fine to do any time of day. This is something that I was recommended by the NHS CFS/ME team at my local hospital to aid my recovery from CFS/ME and I still believe it is one of the most useful things, alongside pacing, to learn for CFS / ME and also long covid recovery. If you are bed-bound or not at the stage where you can access coaching to help you make progress with your health goals, meditation is a really good start as it is something you can do laying in bed.
The aim of the exercise is to allow the mind to rest from any anxious thoughts, allowing them to pass by like watching a cloud float by. Doing this, instead of tending to each one as it enters the mind, can help you be in the present moment. Being present can help you accept your health condition as just a fact - as information - rather than seeing it as a positive or negative thing and attaching labels or judgements to it. It isn’t good or bad. It just is.
Find a comfortable seat or lay down for your breathing meditation and allow the spine to lengthen to improve your posture. If laying down, you may wish to support your body with pillows under the arms and your palms facing up. Allow your mind to be still by just focusing on the breath. Don’t try to change the pace or length of your breath. It is better to breathe from the stomach rather than the chest, and allow the belly to go soft, rising and falling with each breath. If a thought enters your mind, just acknowledge it, and then let it float by like a cloud in the sky passing overhead. I like to imagine i am floating in water and my arms are being supported by lily pads! But see where your mind takes you…
Other Types of Meditation
There’s no right or wrong way to meditate. Meditation is about relaxing the mind to a point where you can focus on being present in what you are doing right then. So if the example above doesn’t work for you, there are many, many more options. People with ADHD may find it difficult to sit still so there are some more active ways to get into a meditative state, as well, that should be considered when deciding how to meditate. These are common ways people do this:
a form of exercise, such as yoga or swimming
connection with the outdoors such as hiking, gardening or forest bathing
doing art or playing a musical instrument
listening to nature sounds such as fire sounds whilst sitting peacefully with a candle
deep breathing whilst walking
prayer, affirmations, binaural beats, or spiritual practices
How can it help?
Meditation doesn’t just help ground you in the present, it can stop your mind from entering the hazardous “what if?” state which can come with chronic illness. Many of us get into states of thinking where we catastrophize, asking ourselves “what if my health worsens?” or “what if my benefits stop?”. Catastrophizing puts unnecessary pressure on us that we could avoid by trying to stay present and focus on what we do know to be true.
Secondly, many health issues are stress- or trauma induced and working on mental health is fundamental if you are trying to manage your recovery. You deserve that time to give your mind and body some TLC — self-care is very important for managing CFS / ME and other chronic illnesses.
In a 2018 study, 80% of participants with CFS/ME improved by using meditation to aid their recovery and improve their baseline. So using meditation alongside pacing can really help your chances of improving your health.
How often and when should I meditate?
In the beginning, you may find it difficult to slow your mind and tap into your inner consciousness, so it might be helpful to meditate first thing in the morning, before you’re distracted with your daily tasks. But really, meditation is something you can fit into your day whenever it’s possible to close your eyes and allow your focus to move inward.
Meditation works most effectively when practiced daily, so start with a short meditation practice but stay consistent. It’s more effective to meditate for just five minutes a day at the same time every day than for 20 minutes once or twice a week. If you struggle with traditional forms of meditation, try different types from the list above until you find one that works for you.
As you experience the benefits, experiment with new types of meditation. Meditation will help slow your mind, allowing you to tune into your intuition and live in deeper alignment with your intentions and goals.
Overall, meditation, alongside pacing and coaching, can be one of the most useful tools for managing chronic illness and for aiding recovery.
