If you think meditation is for long-haired hippies and white ladies who have recently discovered their spiritual side—it is, but it’s not just for them. Meditation is also an essential daily practice for world-renowned athletes like Lebron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, billionaires like Bill Gates and Ray Dalio, and even Navy SEALS. Meditation can be done anytime, anywhere, by anyone, and benefits of meditation extend far beyond inner peace. When working in a high-stress environment like construction, tapping into this science-backed technique can mean the difference between mental health and burnout. 

Quick look

• Meditation dates back thousands of years, with written records from 1500 BC.
• Anyone can meditate, and those who struggle with it the most may also see the biggest benefits.
• Regular meditation can help reduce stress, improve sleep, boost compassion, and even help your children’s mental health.
• Mindfulness, transcendental, loving-kindness, movement, and body scan are some of the most common types of meditation. 

What is Meditation?

In its simplest form, meditation is a physical and mental practice that brings clarity, focus, and awareness. Different types of meditation can accomplish different goals. Still, each one uses a tool like breathing, mantras, guided instruction, or chanting to help you let go of distraction and rumination and allow your mind to tap into stillness instead. 

The age-old practice of meditation is believed to have originated in India before being quickly adopted worldwide as a part of religious and spiritual practices. Written records referring to meditation date back as far as 1500 BC. The fact that meditation is still practiced today is a testament to how simple and effective it is for both mind and body. 

Anyone can meditate (even people who think they can’t)

If you feel you’re too stressed, too busy, or too easily distracted to meditate, take note: A Buddhist monk once said that in his experience, the people who struggle the hardest with meditation are also the ones who will benefit from it the most. 

Construction workers exhibit some of the highest rates of stress, anxiety, and depression in any industry. While spending your days working long hours on stressful job sites may mean a heightened risk of mental health struggles, it also means that you’re uniquely positioned to reap the benefits of meditation.

No matter how hectic your schedule is or how many things are on your plate, everyone can find just a few minutes a day to meditate. It’s simple, free, and you can do it anywhere—on the bus to the job site, during your lunch break, or even when you’re waiting in line for the portapotty. When you do, you’ll quickly discover that allowing your mind to access stillness has many benefits besides feeling “zen.”

The benefits of meditation extend beyond the spiritual

Although meditation has its roots in religion and spirituality, it’s now widely practiced as an effective tool for managing the stress, speed, and busyness of modern life. Some meditators report having spiritual experiences during their practice, but many others meditate because it’s an effective way to reduce stress, improve sleep, and support their mental health.

Reduced stress

Stress is often referred to as the silent killer. It’s been shown to have a direct association with six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments and respiratory disorders, accidental injuries, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. 

Managing stress is one of the most crucial things you can do for your health and longevity, and regular meditation has been shown to reduce physical markers of stress, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels.   

Better sleep

There’s nothing worse than working a 14-hour shift, coming home exhausted, and then being unable to sleep (or falling asleep quickly, only to wake up a few hours later). Meditation has been shown to help you reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality. Some studies have even found that meditation can improve sleep as much as a prescription sleeping pill—without the cost and potential side effects.

Increased compassion

Metta meditation (also called kindness-based meditation or loving-kindness meditation) has been shown to help you feel more compassionate for others while boosting your sense of self-compassion. Compassion is a critical component of healthy relationships and may help you get closer to the important people in your life.  

More resilient children

You can benefit from a regular mindfulness practice like meditation in many ways, but many would be surprised to know that these benefits trickle down to your kids, too. Children of more mindful parents display lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. 

5 Common meditation techniques

There are many different styles of meditation, and it may take a few tries to find the one that’s right for you. These five popular types of meditation are a great place to start.

• Mindfulness meditation is a simple technique for bringing awareness to your thoughts. Don’t judge what comes to mind or try to control your thoughts; just notice them as they come through. A common analogy invites you to see each thought as a leaf floating down a river. Notice it, then let it continue flowing downstream. 
• Transcendental meditation uses the Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technique, developed by Indian spiritualist Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The TM Technique involves doing a 20-minute mantra meditation twice a day.
• Loving-kindness meditation, also called Metta meditation, uses a specific mantra to cultivate a spirit of compassion and goodwill toward yourself, a loved one, a stranger, an enemy or difficult person, and finally, all living things.  
• Body scan meditation directs your awareness to each part of your body as you focus on the sensations you might be feeling there—tension, relaxation, or even pain. It can improve the mind-body connection.
• Movement meditation is perfect for those who find it hard to sit still. This style asks you to bring awareness to each movement and move with purpose as you walk, garden, do yoga, or any other physical activity. 

Under the Hard Hat’s quick-start guide to meditation

If learning about the many benefits of meditation has convinced you to try it, here’s how to get started.

• Sit comfortably. You can use a straight-backed chair, sit cross-legged, or kneel on a pillow, whichever feels best. Avoid lying down or curling up on a comfy couch—you need to remain alert for your meditation. 
• Close your eyes. Unless you’re doing movement meditation, closing your eyes will boost your focus and awareness.
• Minimize distraction. While you don’t need complete silence, finding a place where you can meditate uninterrupted can be helpful as you begin your meditation practice.
• Start small. Many of us struggle to focus for extended periods without distraction, so it can feel discouraging to try (and fail) a 20- or 30-minute meditation right off the bat. Instead, try meditating for just two or three minutes to start. After a few weeks, increase the time to five minutes, then ten, and so on. Setting yourself up for success will help you continue your practice.  
• Use a timer or guided meditation. Setting a timer means you won’t interrupt your meditation to check the clock. Guided meditations feature a teacher who will talk you through a meditation, helping you retain focus. You can find many guided meditations on YouTube and in free meditation apps like Calm and HeadSpace.