11 meditation tips for people with ADHD

We have all heard a Bajillion times that meditation is good for us. But if you have ADHD, the whole thing can, well blunt. Sit, quietly and concentrate silently on my breath for 20 minutes? You have to joke.

But it turns out that meditation does not have to be a snooze festival or slog. The secret of a neurodiving practice that is really satisfactory and sustainable? “It is about getting it up and running for you,” Jeff Warren, a meditation teacher based in Toronto at ADHD, co-author of meditation for fidgety skeptics, author of the home base substance and Cohost of the mind Bod Adventure Pod, says himself. In practice, this means making meditation simple, interesting and intrinsic enough worthwhile that you want to do it – not just the feeling that you should.

To find out how you can actually achieve this, we have shown the real professionals: meditation teachers who have ADHD. Not all of these suggestions work for you, and that's the point. “There is so much diversity even within an ADHD diagnosis,” says Warren. “It really depends on the person.” So take what works, let the rest and make it yours.

1. Do not use meditation to try to “fix” your ADHD.

It is a easy attitude to go into meditation, since meditation is often sold as a self -help strategy to improve what is “wrong” with us. But “you have to stop from thinking meditation, trying to change who you are,” says Warren. “It is not tried to transform them into a super well -focused, perfectly balanced person if that is not in the cards for them.” This does not mean that meditation cannot be a way to deal with their symptoms. In fact, research indicate that it cannot improve things such as attention, executive function and emotional regulation in people with ADHD. So if you read this because you hope to improve your focus or mood … Hey, the same. Simply make sure that you consider meditation as a way to make friends and work with your unique wired system – not to change who you are. “The core of meditation is acceptance,” says Warren. “I'm still as ADHD as I ever in a way. The main difference is that somehow I don't want to be any different. ”

2. Remember that it is not about controlling your mind.

There are some misunderstandings that make ADHD and meditation appear like a damn couple – like the idea that it is about calming your thoughts or maintaining a perfect focus. According to Jude Star, this is the core of some concentration practices, a meditation teacher and integrative trainer who has meditation for ADHD course. But he tells himself that for most people with ADHD, one of the most popular styles in the west (after it has been secularized in various Buddhist traditions from integral practices). Mindfulness is a great game for those of us with ADHD because it does not ask them to monitor their hopping attention, and it is flexible enough to keep things interesting. (It is also the practice that we will mainly focus on here.) The core is easy to meet the moment with a friendly awareness. “You are relaxed, you know what's going on and you are not evaluating,” says Warren. “That's it.” You can bring mindfulness to every moment of your day (we will come to this), but to quickly summarize a classic technique: choose an anchor point for your attention, like the feeling of breath. If you notice that you are lost in thinking, you gently return to this anchor. They essentially take a step back and observe where their attention goes with curiosity and warmth – not with judgment and control, explains Warren. Bonus points if you can actually laugh at what your mind has. Did you hear that?

3. aim every day.

The frequency exceeds the duration when it comes to building a habit (and using the advantages). Therefore, daily meditation is usually the recommendation. But strict daily practice can be unrealistic and lead to all-or-not thinking. A more forgiving goal is what describes 10 percent, happier podcast moderator Dan Harris as “daily”. It has the same feeling, but there is enough scope to skip a day (or three) without beating yourself, meditation teacher and ADHD trainer Ying Deng, host of the ADHD podcast, says Self. In order to remain consistent, Deng also suggests developing a minimal practice that you can turn to if you are particularly busy or wiped. “Find the really simple version that you may be able to do every day,” says Deng. This could be a one-minute meditation or even a single attentive activity, what is always ridiculous. “More of what is easy for you is a good way to do more of what is good for her,” she explains, noticing that her point of view notices her tea carefully and the sound of the boiling water and the smell of the tea notices.

4. Select an anchor point that you actually dig.

While beginners are often instructed to use their breath as an anchor, this close focus can feel restrictive or tedious for some people with ADHD, says Star. So if the breath runs out the crap, an auditorial or visual anchor can be more stimulating or more pleasant. For example, the sound landscape around you or an ambient music can be pleasant and conceiving, says Star. Or you can dig the spaciousness of meditating with open eyes: concentrate gently on one point or take your entire visual field and even let your awareness penetrate into your peripheral vision. (It can be a bit of trippy!) You can see which anchor will be more meditating, more pleasant, more pleasant or fertile for you. “If we can make practice more committed, this can better attract our attention,” explains Star.

5. Make curious about your physical sensations.

It is much easier to relax the mind when the body relaxes, says Star. But sometimes when people with ADHD try to meditate (or just to split off), they notice an unpleasant physical unrest. Since her mind takes information from her body, this also creates mental excitement. That is why people with ADHD can often feel more stressed when meditation, explains Star. But if you can bring your body a friendly awareness, it changes the game. Practice to open, explore and be in order with the body feeling that feels like it stands in the way of meditation, says Star (nervous, flutter in your chest). Make curious how it actually feels. Is there a texture? A warmth? A tingling? If you stop going against the sensations, the discomfort can gradually dissolve, says Star – you relax your body and mind. (If a feeling feels overwhelming, Stern recommends moving to a more neutral place like your hands.)

6. Include movement.

If silence feels completely ug, another way to work with your body is through movement practice. Star is a big fan of yoga and Qigong, a moving meditation of traditional Chinese medicine, which contains mindfulness, breath and slow, gentle movements. There is also hiking meditation, a basic mindfulness technology. Your anchor is usually somewhere in the body, says Star, like the soles of the feet or the center line of your body. Deng also recommends swallowing meditation right after training. Some people notice that of course they feel more in their body or even in an almost meditative state after they can get a restless energy out, she says. Use an advantage by taking a few minutes of meditation to your cooldown.

7. Find meditative micro -hits.

If structured sit is not your thing, take informal mindfulness practices in your feet while you are in line, or the hot water on your skin in the shower. “You can get these little micro -hits all day long,” says Warren. Practical activities such as cooking, knitting or garden can be very meditative, adds Deng. “If I get baked, I will integrate and notice, how does the dough feel in my hands?” Even this short taste can help you get out of your head, relax some tension and build up the muscle of mindfulness.

8. Use guide meditations generously.

Not only are guided sessions useful for everyone who also learns the WTF meditation, but they can also be particularly supportive for people with ADHD. “It's so easy to lose and abort the plot,” says Warren. “I've been mediting for 25 years and I am a damn meditation teacher and I will still migrate.” So it's nice to have a friendly voice to bring you back. And it is not difficult to find teachers with whom you entertain all apps out there.

9. Become comfortable. If you sit on the floor in full lotus, you have your jam.

But Star can explain to an attitude that instills in your body: “Comfort is primary.” Try a comfortable chair or a soft -weighted blanket or lie down with curved knees. While you are there, light a delicious candle or incense to put the mood. “Everything that helps you relax is good,” says Star. Just don't be too comfortable. “You want to find the environment in which you feel stimulated enough so as not to fall asleep, but not overstimulated,” says Deng. For some people, the outside is – nature can be both peaceful and lively.

10. Mix it together and follow your curiosity.

Do not force yourself to stick to one thing. “If you have the impulse to generally research new things and look for new things, then leave it as it happens in meditation,” says Warren. Experiment generously with various teachers, traditions, techniques and apps. Variety increases the novelty factor – which is motivating some ADHD brains – and helps you create a unique practice that suits you, says Deng. If you let yourself be guided by your curiosity, Warren adds. If you are fascinated by the Buddhist philosophy or the neuroscience of mindfulness, GEEK OUT. Read a book, take a course, make a retreat, join a local or virtual meditation community. (Bonus tip: You may like the community aspect.)

11. Show yourself a lot of love.

Neurodicist people often deal with shame and a hard inner critic, so our experts recommend interweaving self -compassion into their mindfulness practice and their daily life. If you notice that evil thoughts appear, take a moment to give yourself some sympathy: a deep breath, a hand on your heart, some friendly words that you have to hear. You can also research the meditation of metta or loving hindness, a mighty Buddhist practice in which you love other people before you steer it on yourself, explains Star. “To bring this sympathy and this acceptance to ourselves? It's huge, ”says Star.

The original article appeared on ourselves