Am I Meditating Right? Top FAQs About Meditation Answered

Meditation can feel confusing when you’re just starting. You might wonder if you’re doing it correctly or if your routine is effective. I often get asked the same questions about meditation: When is the best time of day to meditate? How long should a session last? How often do I need to meditate? Which type of meditation works best? What apps can help? This post answers these common questions with clear, practical advice to help you build a meditation practice that fits your life and calms your mind.

Choose a time and place to be your regular meditation spot

What Is the Best Time of Day to Meditate?

The best time to meditate is whenever you can make it work on a consistent basis. Many people find morning meditation effective because it helps set the tone for the day. For myself, I prefer to meditate in the mornings, after I've had my coffee and can think clearly. In the past, I've had a routine of doing meditation at the end of my lunch break before going back to work. If you use meditation to help you fall asleep, try also doing a meditation during the day so that you have the experience of re-engaging in your life after meditating. The key is consistency, so pick a time you can stick with regularly. Pick a special spot if you can, so that you have a regular time and place that's your daily appointment with yourself.

How Long Should You Meditate?

Research has shown that 10 minutes a day of meditation is enough to change your brain (Remskar, Western, & Ainsworth, 2024). Long-term meditation practitioners experience an increase in activity in the region of the prefrontal cortex that is responsible for emotional regulation, leading to increased feelings of calm and resilience. At the same time, they see an increase in the activation of the right dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, responsible for processing somatic experience in the present moment. This can help you feel more present, in the here and now, and less lost in thought. 10 minutes can feel like a lot at first, so start with 2-5 minutes to build a habit and work up to 10. Consistency is key. 10 minutes per day, 5-7 days per week is my goal for myself.

What Apps Are Good for Meditation?

Meditation apps can provide structure and guidance, especially when starting out. Some apps I suggest include:

• Headspace offers beginner-friendly guided sessions and courses on mindfulness.

• Madrona is designed by therapists, tailored to be a helpful adjunct to therapy.

• Insight Timer has thousands of free meditations. I have recorded six meditations on the app for calming your mind https://insighttimer.com/souletherapy/

  
  

Most apps offer free trials or basic versions, so you can test which one fits your style.

What Type of Meditation Works Best?

There are lots of different types of meditation. For myself, the purpose of meditation is to create a space where I can connect with myself. During meditation, you can bring an attitude of curiosity and openness to listening to thoughts and feelings without judgment. As you create space for different parts of yourself to be heard, it can bring greater self-compassion, calm and clarity. The key is developing the ability to be WITH your thoughts and feelings instead of overwhelmed by them. Below are some meditations I recommend on Insight Timer:

For calming your body:

• Mindful Body Scan https://insighttimer.com/lamayesherabgye/guided-meditations/mindful-body-scan

• Body Scan Relaxation https://insighttimer.com/andrewjohnson/guided-meditations/body-scan-relaxation

• Tropical Breeze Breathing  https://insighttimer.com/andreawachter/guided-meditations/tropical-breeze-breathing

• Bright Light Healing  https://insighttimer.com/andreawachter/guided-meditations/bright-light-healing

For comforting difficult feelings:

• ABCs of Self Compassion  https://insighttimer.com/coach-emma/guided-meditations/the-abcs-of-self-compassion-a-quick-self-compassion-practice

• Being with Painful Feelings  https://insighttimer.com/zbarbarag/guided-meditations/being-with-painful-feelings

• Calming Difficult Feelings  https://insighttimer.com/souletherapy/guided-meditations/calming-difficult-feelings

• Soothing Anxiety  https://insighttimer.com/andreawachter/guided-meditations/soothing-anxiety

• A Message to Anxiety  https://insighttimer.com/andreawachter/guided-meditations/a-message-to-anxiety

• Embodiment  https://insighttimer.com/drrichardschwartz/guided-meditations/ifs-embodiment

• IFS Meditation  https://insighttimer.com/drrichardschwartz/guided-meditations/ifs-meditation

• Connecting to Your Core Self https://insighttimer.com/coach-emma/guided-meditations/connecting-to-your-core-self-version-1-parts-work-meditation

For listening to parts of yourself:

• IFS Meditation - Daily Parts Check In https://insighttimer.com/raumschaffen/guided-meditations/ifs-meditation-daily-parts-check-in

• Listening to Your Inner World - Parts Work IFS Therapy https://insighttimer.com/coach-emma/guided-meditations/listening-to-your-inner-world-through-parts-work-shadow-work-ifs-internal-family-systems-therapy

  
  

Experiment, and see which ones seem most helpful to you. And then keep coming back to those in order to build your own practice for connecting with yourself, comforting yourself through tough emotions and giving compassion to all the different parts of yourself that need it. You can listen from a space of curiosity to what parts of you are feeling, wanting or needing. And if needed, you can advocate in the outside world on behalf of what your parts want or need. Over time, this process helps you respond to the people and things in your life with more intention, in ways that reflect what is truly meaningful and important to you.

Building Your Meditation Practice

Start small and be patient with yourself. Create a quiet space, set a timer, and focus on your breath or a guided session. If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back without judgment.

Remember, there is no perfect way to meditate. The best practice is the one you do consistently and that helps you feel calmer, more centered, and more connected to yourself.

Reference:

Remskar, M., Western, M. J., & Ainsworth, B. (2024). Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention. British Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12745