To establish a consistent morning meditation routine, it’s crucial to prepare your body and mind beforehand. Cleansing your body, including brushing your teeth, is an effective way to prime yourself for this mind-body exercise. Interestingly, some people find that meditating before brushing their teeth is easier, as the early morning’s calmness and relaxation help them ease into their practice more comfortably.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of meditating before and after brushing your teeth so you can work out what is right for you.
Meditation Before or After Brushing Your Teeth: Pros and Cons
First, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of meditating before you brush your teeth. We’ll start with the pros:
- Many people find it easier to meditate when their mouth feels clean and fresh.
- People are more relaxed and calm first thing in the morning.
- They haven’t awakened fully and are therefore not tense or stressed.
- They are more motivated because they are more physically ready for meditation.
There are also disadvantages to meditating before brushing your teeth, and they include:
- First thing in the morning, your mouth is filled with bacteria which is great to get rid of by brushing your teeth. Skipping this will give you bad breath.
- It is sometimes more difficult to feel physically (and therefore emotionally) ready for your meditation if your body isn’t cleansed first.
Most experts agree that showering and brushing your teeth before you meditate is the a great idea. The body works best when meditating when it is thoroughly cleansed, and brushing your teeth is an important part of that cleansing process.
If you want some good reasons to cleanse your body and brush your teeth before you meditate, here are a few:
- It puts you in the right frame of mind much more quickly and increase the odds of making the most out of the meditation session
- Brushing your teeth gets rid of the bacteria in your mouth, which means that there’s no worries about that bacteria seeping into the bloodstream or your brain
- It wakes you up a little more and makes it simpler to get better prepared physically and emotionally for meditation
The few disadvantages of brushing your teeth and then meditating include:
- Some people feel almost too awake and not relaxed enough for successful meditation.
- For some people, as soon as they shower and brush their teeth, they start mentally preparing to leave for work or school and become too tense for meditation.
For many people, meditation comes more easily to them and may even produce better results when it’s done first thing in the morning, which means before they brush their teeth or wash their face.
Meditating while brushing your teeth
It is also possible to brush your teeth and meditate at the same time, although it will be a little different than your usual meditation experience.
Many people are now turning some of their morning routines, including brushing their teeth, into a type of mini-meditation or mindfulness session that helps the day start out right.
To do this, go ahead and brush your teeth as you normally do but instead of letting your mind wander, concentrate and turn your attention to things such as:
- Sensations, such as the sounds you hear, the smells you’re smelling, the colors you’re noticing in the bathroom, and even the taste of the toothpaste
- Your movements, including the way your arm feels as it’s brushing with a side-to-side motion, the sound of the toothbrush as you’re brushing your teeth, and the feel of the toothbrush against your teeth and gums
This doesn’t mean that you have to concentrate on and think about what you’re doing too much. It is just a way for you to turn away from mindless wandering and concentrate on your surroundings so you can enjoy more focus on what’s happening around you.
Your environment is always important, so concentrating on your environment and learning to appreciate the sights and sounds around you is yet another way to practice the art of meditation.
Does it Matter When You Meditate?
Meditation experts get asked this question a lot, and the truth is, you can meditate whenever you feel comfortable and ready to do so. You still have to be in the right state of mind in order for the session to produce good results, but the time of day doesn’t matter.
The length of time you spend meditating also matters little. Many people feel comfortable meditating for 30 to 60 minutes at a time, while other people can get the same results doing it just 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
The important thing to remember is to breathe properly and clear your mind of anything that isn’t specifically related to meditation before you get started. It’s also important to meditate regularly, preferably daily, if you want to enjoy maximum results.
Summary
Determining whether to brush your teeth before or after meditation largely depends on your personal circumstances. According to experts, it’s generally recommended to cleanse your entire body, including your teeth, before meditating to reap the physical and emotional benefits that can enhance your practice.
By doing so, you’ll be able to optimize your meditation session and achieve greater mental clarity and relaxation.
Happy meditating.