New Year’s Challenge: Try a 3-Minute Guided Meditation

Relax and improve your focus with meditation. This activity will guide you into the right frame of mind for the day. 

Keep up with the Strong Body, Strong Mind, Strong You Challenge here and on our Facebook page. 

Becoming a stronger you isn’t all about moving more. It also means having a healthy mindset. Even if you’ve never tried it, you’ve likely heard about the benefits of meditation. And no, not all meditation requires sitting with your legs crossed and chanting. There are many ways to meditate, and research shows that it can help you feel more relaxed, mindful, and focused.   

And it can even boost your brain too. A study in the journal JAMA Neurology looked at the effects of a meditation program on adults over age 65. The researchers found the practice sharpened attention more than learning another language does.  

Other studies have suggested that mindfulness meditation—the practice of bringing your attention to the present moment—improves cognition, and it may help preserve brain health as we age.    

Emotional well-being and fitness go together! With SilverSneakers, you can choose from dozens of different Community classes, visit a participating fitness location, or join one of 20+ SilverSneakers LIVE online classes. Check your eligibility here.  

How to Use the 3-Minute Guided Meditation for Mindfulness 

For today’s brain-building activity, SilverSneakers trainer Shannon Thigpen offers a guided meditation exercise so you can bypass some of the mental chit-chat that can keep you from focusing on your health goals.  

You’ll learn how to calm your mind in only a few minutes, and you’ll reap all the benefits that meditation has to offer. All you need is a comfortable place to sit in a quiet place.  

Here are some of Shannon’s best tips to keep in mind:  

• Sit or lie down comfortably 
• Close your eyes and breathe slowly   
• Pick a mental image of a favorite place 
• Focus all your energy on that image  
• When competing thoughts pop up, let them float away 
• When ready, open your eyes 
• Practice daily 

Love this and want more? Take a SilverSneakers Mindfulness & Meditation (Express) Class! 

Reduce stress and improve mental clarity and focus in just 15 minutes with a variety of techniques to train your attention and awareness. View the schedule and RSVP here. 

Check Your SilverSneakers Eligibility Instantly 

SilverSneakers members can go to thousands of gyms and fitness locations across the nation, plus take SilverSneakers LIVE online classes that are designed for seniors of all levels. If you have a Medicare plan, it may include SilverSneakers—at no additional cost. Check your eligibility instantly here.  

Not eligible for SilverSneakers? You can still get 200+ free SilverSneakers On-Demand videos and stay in touch with us by creating your online account.