Let’s face it we all live in a world that is full of hectic, fast-paced obstacles that we have to navigate daily. Unfortunately, this often causes us to have anxiety and stress, and one of the ways many people combat this is through meditation.
Like with anything, many people think the longer you meditate, the better, so perhaps you might wonder if you could meditate all day. Of course, there is no reason why you couldn’t meditate all day if you have the time. But what would happen if you did?
If you have the luxury of meditating all day, you might find that you live in a more relaxed state and are clearer in your thought process. Of course, you couldn’t do this all day, every day of the week, but it might be beneficial to try once or twice.
That being said, let’s look at figuring out what would happen and if it is even possible to meditate all day.
Is it Even Possible?
Meditating all day is possible. However, it will take some time to build up to the capabilities of doing so. Meditating regularly will help build that habit and help instill the skills you need to lengthen your meditation process.
For those looking to try all-day-long meditation, you must focus on breathing and freeing yourself from distractions. Doing this will allow you to receive the full breadth of benefits that come with meditation.
To do this, you’re going to want to not only build your skills up but also find yourself in a very comfortable place to do this.
In addition, as you will be inactive all day, you also need to make sure your schedule has been cleared. If those two things are in check, then you can meditate all day.
What is the Longest Meditation time?
Some people suggest you get as much benefit from a 15-minute meditation as a one-hour one. Some have tried to meditate much longer. We’re looking at simply doing it for a day, but the world record is way longer than a 24-hour time frame.
One record says that the longest time was actually three days, and that was back in 1892. However, in 2015, a Yogi in Nepal meditated for ten months. But, of course, this gentleman was very skilled, so we don’t suggest you try this for a while.
Is Too Much Meditation Harmful?
Too much of anything could be potentially dangerous. Even something as helpful as meditation has been shown to have some negative side effects when there is too much. Some of these side effects include:
- Increase negative thoughts
- Changes with sensory perceptions like visions and hallucinations
- Physical side effects like headache and fatigue
- Issues with reliving trauma or increased negativity
Properly done, all of the above effects should be things that you actually combat with meditation.
But with extended meditation, you’re opening your mind up to be more sensitive to the world around you, and that could, in turn, backfire, creating hypersensitivity to everything. So it’s best to find the right balance between meditation and everyday life.
Can You Get Addicted to Meditation?
When most people hear the word addiction, they think of things like drugs and alcohol. Addiction is always attached to things that are bad for you, but some people are addicted to things that are good for you as well. Things like exercise and, yes, even meditation.
People get addicted to things because it makes them feel good. Whether they’re using it to feel good to escape their life or to feel good within their life, it doesn’t matter. So yes, you can get addicted to meditation.
Signs that you might be addicted to meditation include:
- Lack of focus on anything else
- Rearranging your life and canceling plans to meditate
- Excessive analysis of your thoughts
How to Know Your Limits?
The last thing you want to do is become addicted and spend your whole day every day meditating. The purpose of meditation is not to become your life but rather to help you live your life in a more balanced manner.
The way you know that you have reached your limits is when in a meditation session, you are unable to continue being aware of your thoughts and unable to control bringing yourself back to your center.
In other words, you begin to feel like you are fidgeting and uncomfortable, it’s time to stop.
You can, of course, lengthen your time by going further and further every time, but ideally, it should not take over your life. That’s the key to knowing your limits.
Final Thoughts on What Would Happen If You Meditated All Day
So can you meditate all day, yes, the chances are that you can. What would happen if you did it just a single day? You would probably see a lot of increased results regarding things like focus, attention, and being calm.
But if you try to do it every day all day, it could eventually lead to some harmful situations and not be as beneficial as it would if you just limited your time and fit it into your hectic schedule.