How Long Should You Meditate?

The ideal length of time to meditate per session varies among individuals and practices. Generally, however, experts recommend meditating for between five and 45 minutes per day. If you're a beginner, start with short sessions of a few minutes, and add time as you develop your meditating skills.

When You're Beginning Your Meditation Practice

Start with just five minutes and remember that the schedule is up to you. Beginning slowly can help you:

• Get used to meditation
• Ease into a committed practice without pressure
• Learn your best times of day to meditate
• Try various types of meditation before committing to one

As you get into your routine, add one minute each week until you reach the desired time.

Remember that mastering the art of meditation can take a while, and so can the results. Be patient, and learn all you can about meditation and mindfulness techniques in the meantime.

How Long Should You Meditate to See Results?

To see benefits from meditation, experts suggest you aim for at least 10 minutes a day. However, each person responds differently, so try longer meditation periods if 10 minutes don't seem to make any difference for you. If you find this difficult, try meditating several shorter times throughout the day.

Are 10 Minutes of Meditation Enough?

What's "enough" for you depends on your individual goals and meditation style. For example, if you're a beginner or your main goal is to reduce stress, some research suggests that a consistent 10 minutes per day is enough to reap significant benefits. In contrast, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation involves daily 45-minute sessions, which research has also shown to be effective for anxiety. Ultimately, your ideal session duration is whatever works for you.

However, if you'd like to work on increasing concentration and focus, 30 minutes a day gives you time for some light stretches as you practice breathing techniques.

Whether you meditate for 10 minutes or 45, do it every day. Research has discovered that consistency is more important than session duration in realizing the benefits of meditation.

How Many Times a Day Should You Meditate?

Meditate consistently at least once per day. If you're moving toward longer sessions but finding they're problematic for you, try splitting them into several smaller sessions.

When Should You Meditate?

Finding the best time of day to meditate might take some trial and error, but start by considering the least variable factors, such as your schedule. Think about when you are most likely to adhere to your routine.

Some people find morning meditation best for two reasons: Putting mindfulness and self-care first in your day means nothing is likely to interrupt your routine and gives you the mental space to prepare for your day.

On the other hand, nighttime meditation might help you counterbalance the daily flood of information in the quietness.

How Often Should You Meditate?

Some people benefit from sitting once every day, whereas others prefer a short session in the morning and another in the evening.

Sitting more than once a day can help manage overthinking and keep your mind calm and stress-free throughout the day. It's important to try different methods and see what works for you before adding it to your daily schedule.

Opinions vary between teachers and traditions, but one thing is clear: Don't force anything. Meditation is all about checking in with yourself and your needs, not pushing beyond your limits.

How Long Does it Take for Meditation to Change the Brain?

Research is ongoing, but studies are increasingly finding that mindfulness training actually causes physical changes in the brain over time. Changes have been demonstrated to occur both during meditation and over time, with eight weeks being the point at which many people notice the full benefits.

Not all meditation teachers would agree that this timeline is relevant, however. Research backs them up, consistently showing that even just a few minutes each day can have immediate benefits.

A Word From Verywell

If you are just starting out with meditation, don't feel pressured to do it for hours every day. Even just 10 minutes during your lunch break or before bed is enough for your body and mind to experience the many benefits of meditation.