Meditation has been a buzz word thrown around by celebrities and people in the self-help field, but does it really work? In the spring of 2020, President McCartney announced that the college bought a license for Calm app for the Smith community. The license for the app has been renewed the past two years, but maxed-out students may wonder, is meditation really worth the effort?
A common obstacle to the practice is that it can be difficult to sit still or focus for a long period of time. Yet those who are regular with meditation are adamant of its benefits. According to Mayoclinic.org “the emotional benefits of meditation can include:
- Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
- Building skills to manage your stress
- Increasing self-awareness
- Focusing on the present
- Reducing negative emotions
- Increasing imagination and creativity
- Increasing patience and tolerance”
But is it practical and worthwhile for a college student? In a 2017 study, 20 students incorporated meditation and yoga over a six week period before finals at URI College of Pharmacy. The study reported by the end of the six weeks that none of the students experienced high stress or anxiety. Another study in 2019 focused on the use of the Calm app with college students. It found “that the app effectively reduced stress and improved self-compassion and mindfulness.”
On the Calm app website they state that “Calm App Meditation teaches us to calm the mind, develop concentration and increase awareness. With greater awareness of our thought patterns and emotional habits, we learn how to relate to ourselves and our circumstances in a more objective, compassionate and skillful way. This helps us engage in life more completely. It teaches us to understand and work with our emotions and break our habit of reactivity.”
This makes sense when considering the physical changes that happen in the brain with consistent meditation. Regular practice can decrease the grey matter in the amygdala, which is where our emotions, particularly fear and aggression are regulated.
To see consistent improvement, regular practice is important, even if it is only once a week. According to the Calm app website, “When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.”
I have had this app on my phone for the past two years, with the intent to use it to destress while at Smith, but I never seem to have the time. In preparing for this article, I opened up the app again and felt hopeful upon seeing how many classes address anxiety. I decided to start with the Singing Bowls series, particularly the one called, “Relieve Stress.” I played it while I wrote a paper, then I replayed it during a particularly stressful part of the day and later at another moment to relax. It changed my stressful state and did in fact make me a little more calm. This experience piqued my interest to explore the other classes geared towards stress management, like: Sleep Stories, Soundscapes, Breathwork, Meditation to Reduce Stress and Anxiety, Increase Happiness and Getting Inspired.
Smith students and faculty can sign up for their free subscription to the app and see for themselves if it helps during these last few weeks of the semester. Simply go to https://www.calm.com/b2b/smith-college/subscribe or download the Calm app from the app store on your device.
