There must be something in the (reverse osmosis) water. Lately, LA-based fitness and wellness bloggers are posting, tweeting, and Snap chatting about the next big boutique studio trend—meditation.
It’s not yoga with a side of mindful ohm-ing at the end of class; these new studios are fully dedicated to the practice of meditation. In LA, The Den and unplug have grown loyal followings amongst yogis and Hollywood studio executives alike, and MNDFL in New York City has its own cult following that include fashion bloggers like Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine.
Why you should try a meditation studio
The basic idea behind these crazy-popular studios is simple: Head to the studio for a 30 to 45 minute guided meditation that suits your needs, and leave feeling lighter, happier, and calmer. Taking a moment to be still sounds nice, especially in our ever-buzzing digital world. But why spend time sitting on a pillow with your eyes closed when you could be burning calories in a spin class, or sculpting lean muscles on a megaformer?
Because meditation seriously works to improve brain function—and can even help you look and feel fitter. More and more scientific evidence proves that meditation has seriously beneficial effects on mental health, brain function, and mood. A review completed by Johns Hopkins University found that regular meditation practice decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain. Most surprisingly, 30 minutes daily seems to have the same efficacy as prescription antidepressants.
Health benefits of meditation
If it’s better brainpower and concentration you’re interested in, a study performed at the University of California Santa Barbara found it only take two weeks of regular practice to see improvements in working memory and cognitive performance. And did we mention that 30 minutes of meditation a day lowers cortisol levels and makes it easier to lose stubborn belly fat?
Seems like meditation can basically make you a better person—which is always a plus! But one of the biggest draws of these studios to the Instagram-obsessed? They’re straight up gorgeous. Bright and well-lit, yet somehow still cozy, just being in the space is inspiring.
The best thing about these studios is that they make meditation approachable for everyone. At The Den, there are classes that involve crystals and psychic meditations, but the signature class is titled #CTFO (Chill the f*** out)—it’s clear that they aren’t too uptight about it.
Mindfulness, clarity, calm, and a great place to ‘gram—we have a feeling these chic studios are a trend that’s here to stay.
