headspace

I have been a member of Headspace for years – being in Silicon Valley, where stress is a second nature, Meditation became a supremely useful tool to help me unwind and relax … during long commute and to cope with crazy Bay Area passive-aggressive drivers. But then Headspace introduced meditation for sports and I really got super hooked. This year has been tough mentally and physically because of isolation, remote work and lockdowns and for me, realizing almost too late that I needed to be even more stringent on proper nutrition, balance and exercise that I usually am. 

4 reasons every athlete should meditate (adapted from here)
A mind that is not under control is a mind that makes mistakes—mistakes that could prevent you from winning. High levels of stress decrease your ability to maintain focus and concentration. Of course, stress can be a helpful tool when used correctly; but when it’s not, it can not only impact your performance, but your life.
 
Elite, professional, and amateur athletes, despite their differences in level and/or sport, they all face similar challenges: anxiety, depression, stress, inability to maintain focus, sleep difficulties, life balance, confidence, the list goes on. 
 
Why should you consider practicing meditation for athletic performance?

• Stress reduction: vital for optimal performance. Racing and competing when under stress has been proven to negatively impact athletic performance: the results of meditation are associated with reduced stress levels in addition to decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Being relaxed and centered increases the ability to remain calm under pressure and also improves focus and concentration. By consistently practicing meditation, your body will learn how to relax in stressful situations, building self-confidence and ultimately achieving a more positive mindset.

 

• Improved sleep patterns and faster recovery time: athletes who are not able to get enough sleep will experience a number of negative effects including: weight gain, mood disturbance, increased anxiety/depression, inability to maintain focus/concentration, and decreased motor control. Athletes who consistently practice meditation can help their body to recover quicker from training, racing, and even injury. Those who practice meditation experience fewer acute respiratory infections, as well as a shortened duration and severity of symptoms from the common cold. Therefore, meditation aids in improving the quality/length of sleep and the immune system.

 

• Enhanced endurance: Athletes who visualize accomplishing specific objectives/goals, combined with the regular practice of breathing exercises can train the body to work harder and for a longer period of time in training and competition.

 
Meditation Apps (I use Headspace)
Comparing two popular meditation apps, Headspace and Calm, to see how they stack up.
 
How much do they cost?
 Both apps are free to download, with free trials and limited free features. If you want to upgrade to get full access, you’ll have to pay an annual or monthly fee.
 

• Calm: If you choose to sign up for a 7-day trial, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Calm Premium, which costs $69.99 a year or $14.99 a month. You can cancel up to 1 day before your trial ends to avoid being charged. Calm also offers a lifetime membership for $399.99.

 

• Headspace: You can upgrade to Headspace Plus for $12.99 per month with a free 7-day trial or get 14 days free with a $69.99 annual subscription. There are also student and family plans.

 
How do they work?
Both Calm and Headspace can be customized, and optional push notifications offer gentle reminders to stay on track with your daily practice. You’ll also find meditation practices tailored just for kids in both apps.
 
Calm
 Calm makes it easy to create a daily practice and make it relevant to what you need on a given day. As you launch the app, you can choose from a few different options.
 

• Daily Calm. These 10-minute guided meditations are related to different aspects of mindfulness, like anxiety, stress, and sleep, and serve as a great way to develop a regular practice.
• Quick & Easy. This section offers a handful of short meditations, with options to calm anxiety or anger, heighten awareness, or deepen concentration.
• Mental Fitness. This section offers different packs on mindfulness. One option is led by basketball champion LeBron James. Another, called How to Meditate, is a simple 30-day program for beginning your practice.
• Sleep Stories. These calming bedtime stories for adults feature some celeb narrators like Matthew McConaughey and Harry Styles. If you’d rather drift off to music, check out the Sleep Music feature.
• Calm Masterclass. These audio programs are led by world-renowned mindfulness experts.

 
Headspace
 With its fun, cheerful animations, Headspace has a completely different aesthetic from Calm. If you’re new to meditation, the 10-day Basics course is a great starting place. It’s designed to teach the essentials of meditation in just minutes a day.
 
As you build your practice, the Everyday Headspace meditation — a short, guided, daily meditation — is front and center on the home screen.
 
Here’s what else you’ll find:

• Themed meditations. Headspace offers hundreds of guided meditations that cover things like cravings, finding focus, dealing with regret and difficult conversations, and even creative writing. You can access these as single meditations or grouped courses.
• SOS section. This section offers meditations to help you manage intense experiences. Choose a guided or unguided meditation based on how much time you have, or browse tips and techniques to deepen your practice.
• Mindfulness workouts. These focus on intention, awareness, stress relief, and much more. Performance mindset meditations for mental fitness are inspired by NBA and WNBA players.
• Sleep section. Browse Sleepcasts (everyday storytelling in a range of soothing voices), meditation and breathing techniques to wind down and prepare for sleep, or guided exercises if you find yourself waking up at night. Sleep music, soundscapes, and sleep radio — nonstop, 8-hour mixes of sleep audio — are also options.

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@philippemora > I come from the future. I work and I workout. Always be kind and passionate. 
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