Waking Up

Frequently asked questions

• What meditation should I do in the morning?

  We suggest starting your morning by practicing some mindfulness from the moment you wake. Take five deep breaths in and out. Splash some cold water on your face to feel awake. Maybe write down, or say to yourself, who or what gives you reason to feel grateful. View breakfast or brushing your teeth as an opportunity to be non-distracted and present, with your attention on the moment or family. Use it all as mindful preparation for a morning meditation. One of our most popular ones is the Waking Up meditation which uses a visualization technique to leave the mind feeling crisper, clearer, and warmer.

• How do I start a morning meditation practice?

  Whether you are starting a new routine or building a morning meditation into an existing routine, it’s all about making space for the minutes you decide to sit with, and look after, the mind. Planning ahead — setting an alarm or scheduling a session — is key to creating an unhurried routine. Resolve to make meditation a morning ritual and go easy on yourself if it doesn’t always happen. With practice and repetition, you will soon turn the practice into a healthy habit.

• How long should I meditate in the morning?

  The duration of a morning meditation all depends on how much time you have, but we recommend a minimum of 10 minutes each morning, though you do have the choice to make the exercise as brief as three minutes if your schedule is tight. It’s always worth considering that a meditation ideally needs to be long enough to feel challenging and short enough so that it doesn’t feel demotivating.

• What are the benefits of a morning meditation?

  When you choose to start the day with a morning meditation, you give yourself the best opportunity to get in the right headspace; to be fully aware and fully awake before "doing" anything. You are establishing a healthy morning routine while cultivating a sense of clarity and calm that better prepares you for whatever the day ahead may hold. We also have a five minute Morning Pause meditation — a quick breathing exercise to ground yourself.

• Is it better to meditate in the morning or night?

  We suggest meditating in the morning. Not only is it a nice way to start the day, it’s the one time that you can realistically shape before life gets busy in any number of ways. A morning meditation can help you to get clear, feel focused, and enjoy a sense of calm — a productive, balanced mindset to take into the day. Of course, if you prefer to meditate at night to let go of the day’s stress, that’s good, too. Always meditate at a time that works best for you. That’s the beauty of using an app like Headspace — you can meditate wherever you happen to be at a time that’s most convenient for your schedule.