冥想包括许多专注思考和放松的不同练习，研究表明它可以帮助关节炎患者。无论你选择哪种方法，目标都是改善应对疼痛的策略，减少压力和焦虑等症状。也许你已经试过了——但两分钟感觉就像两个小时，每次20分钟后，结果都是一样的:你在心里列了一个要做的事情清单，心里酸痛不已。你不是一个人。
“We are so used to multitasking that we find it difficult to sit down and turn off our thoughts,” explains Scott Zashin, MD, a rheumatologist and clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. “Meditation is not a quick fix; it takes time.”
不确定这是否值得?Consider this: A study published inJournal of Psychosomatic Researchin January 2010 reported that patients with arthritis andback/neck painwho followed an 8-week mindfulness meditation program demonstrated a significant change in pain intensity and functional limitations due to pain. The study participants with arthritis showed the largest positive effects for health related quality of life and psychological distress.
宾夕法尼亚州哈里斯堡(Harrisburg)的治疗师安德里亚·鲁道夫(Andrea Rudolph)说，虽然一些形式的冥想包括深度思考、呼吸练习和吟诵，但你不需要在练习上花很多时间就能看到效果。鲁道夫教授人们正念/冥想技巧来应对关节炎疼痛。她说，每天花几分钟时间静静地沉思可以帮助你放松，更好地应对关节炎症状，并拥有更积极的生活态度。但请记住，冥想不是治疗的替代品，而是一种补充。
These are some helpful tips to get you started:
Educate yourself.Go online and read about different forms of meditation so you can familiarize yourself with terms and details about the practice, Rudolph suggests.
Get an instructor. Meditation classes can be effective for beginners. Having an instructor to guide meditations and answer questions is one of the easiest ways to ease into the practice, Dr. Zashin says. Check yoga studios, churches and community centers for classes.
Know your limits.Pain and other arthritis symptoms won’t go away with regular meditation, but you can learn to cope with them more effectively. As you start out, set reasonable expectations for what you will accomplish by this practice.
Focus on one thing.Counting your breaths or repeating a word can help keep your mind from wandering. “Choose a word that makes you feel calm and relaxed,” advises Kate Hanley, a meditation instructor and author of theAnywhere, Anytime Chill Guide: 77 Simple Strategies for Serenity. Repeating the word with every exhale will help keep you focused on the meditation.
Forget the time.Does meditating for 20 minutes seem impossible? Stop watching the clock. Instead, sit quietly, focus on your breathing and repeat a calming word or thought for as long as you’re comfortable. Slowly work your way up to meditating for longer periods.
Remain committed.Make a commitment to practice your meditation regularly. “That’s why we call it a ‘practice,’” Rudolph says. “You’re not seeking perfection, but making your quality of life better.”
Forgive yourself.当你应该清理思绪冥想的时候，如果你专注于与配偶的谈话，不要放弃。相反，承认这种想法，重新调整你的注意力。“冥想就是尽你所能做到最好，”汉利说。“它被称为一种实践是有原因的;它永远不会完美。”
Do what feels right.There are many different forms of meditation or mindfulness-based practices, including yoga-based meditation, contemplative walking, deep breathing exercises, and chanting. Find the one that works for you and feels comfortable to you, Rudolph says. If you simply want to sit quietly and focus on positive thoughts, that’s meditation too.
Related Resources:
- Ease Arthritis Symptoms With Meditation
- Meditation Techniques
- Try these other natural therapies for arthritis