{"id":58468,"date":"2017-05-15T11:15:42","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T15:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=58468"},"modified":"2017-05-21T10:28:36","modified_gmt":"2017-05-21T14:28:36","slug":"guided-meditations-productivity-sleep-cravings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/guided-meditations-productivity-sleep-cravings\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Guided Meditations for Productivity, Sleep and Cravings"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo courtesy of Molly + Co Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You know you need to exercise<\/a> your body to improve your health. But what about giving your mind a workout? Or should we say, a cool down. A strong, less-stressed<\/a> mental state can be just as important to your well-being as bumping up your physical activity, considering research links chronic anxiousness to obesity<\/a> and sleepless nights<\/a>. Yet many of us still don\u2019t put tension relief on our priority lists. In fact, one in five<\/a> Americans say they never do an activity focused on helping them manage stress.<\/p>\n

The great news is that exercising your mind doesn\u2019t have to involve anything vigorous. Better yet, all you need to make it happen is a mere five minutes \u2014 plus one of these guided meditations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What Mental Health Experts Do to De-Stress<\/a><\/p>\n

Why You Need Meditation for Mental Strength<\/h2>\n

Many studies give meditation the seal of approval \u2014 and not just for stress relief<\/a>. (Though it does provide a serious dose of calm.) Research has shown that a few minutes of mindfulness can enhance your focus<\/a>, help you make healthier lifestyle choices<\/a> and even catch better zzz\u2019s<\/a>. And all of these advantages can help bring down your stress levels.<\/p>\n

To help you use meditation to hone in on these life improvements, we asked Kelsey Patel<\/a>, reiki master and meditation healer at The Den Meditation<\/a> in Los Angeles to create three five-minute guided sessions. Each one steers you toward a different goal: enhancing\u00a0productivity, controlling cravings and getting quality sleep. So listen in to zone out.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Mantras to Find Zen from Gabrielle Bernstein\u2019s New Book<\/a><\/p>\n

5-Minute Guided Meditations to Help You Reach Your Goals<\/h2>\n

Whether you can\u2019t concentrate at work, keep reaching for some chocolate<\/a> cookies or you\u2019re constantly unable to fall asleep<\/a> at night, these three guided meditations from Patel will lovingly nudge you back on track. You don\u2019t need anything to do them \u2014 simply sit at your desk or lie in bed, close your eyes and press play.<\/p>\n

I Want to\u2026 Boost Productivity<\/h3>\n

\u201cThis is a great meditation to utilize when you need a boost. It helps you receive the feelings of space, breath, trust, support and new creativity,\u201d Patel says. \u201cIf you\u2019re feeling drained, anxious, worried or stressed<\/a> or if your mind is in a thousand places telling you there\u2019s not enough time or other limiting beliefs about yourself and your talents…this one\u2019s for you.\u201d Listen to it mid-workday or first thing before you tackle your day\u2019s tasks.<\/p>\n