Workshop Highlights the Stress-Busting Benefits of Meditation

Winston Wellness and Coaching offered a Meditation Workshop on August 13 as part of our 2018 Year of the Heart initiative to help firm members reduce their risk factors for heart disease.

Director of Coaching Diane Costigan invited attendees from across our U.S. offices to take a seat, turn off their technology, come into the present, and focus on their breathing. 

Once everyone was in the proper frame of mind, Diane began with an overview of the stress-busting benefits of meditation, from reducing blood pressure and heart disease risk to improving sleep, concentration, and emotional well-being. She briefly described the body’s involuntary stress response and explained how meditation can be used to initiate a voluntary relaxation response.

Diane guided attendees through several different methods of meditation, demonstrating that it is possible for anyone to practice meditation anytime and anywhere, whether clearing your mind for the start of your day, during your regular exercise routine, in preparation for a difficult work meeting, or by engaging in guided practice through an app or class.

Within 24 hours of the workshop, Diane heard from attendees who had already downloaded an app to practice daily meditation, planned to meditate before heading home for the day, and had incorporated meditation into their morning exercise routine.

Other Winston Year of the Heart activities have included our WinSTRIDE cross-office steps challenge held in June, and we look forward to bringing firm members additional health and wellness programming during the second half of 2018 and beyond.