Why men's mental health isn't a passing trend

The stress of the pandemic has affected us all, but has particularly impacted men.

Over the past year, many people – including men in our community – have turned to mindfulness practices and yoga to open themselves to stress relief. Meditation, in particular, is an important tool for reducing PTSD and anxiety in many different areas. Studies show that it can reduce anxiety and stress, improve cognition, attention and memory, improve overall well-being, and more.

That was one of the reasons for itYogamattercreates theMen's eco collectionto provide men with a comfortable set of essentials to wear while breathing and stretching.

It's April tooStress Awareness MonthSo we reached out to the founders ofMedito, a free meditation app that promotes meditation and mindfulness to understand how our society approaches mindfulness for men and deals with emotions. From Cardiff to Bristol, London to Los Angeles and Amsterdam, the Medito Foundation team came together at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 to create their award-winning app. They also created a Diversity & Inclusion group of BIPOC volunteers to ensure all content welcomes and encourages people from all walks of life. And while all of the founders are men, the app also encourages women and non-binary people to sit, breathe and find a free moment for mindfulness.

Mindfulness is male

For some time now, culturally, men have no longer been encouraged to share their feelings and open up as much as women in our society. Yorke believes that creating more spaces for men, women and people from all walks of life can help change the way our society views gender roles.

"I think men are sometimes more hesitant to talk about their mental wellbeing or their feelings because historically it hasn't been the masculine thing to do. This is definitely improving, but I think there's still a lot of work to be done to reduce the stigma when it comes to mental health," says Yorke. “I think there is a similar problem when it comes to mindfulness, with men being less open to it than women.

The Medito team doesn't collect data about its users on the app, but says the Medito Instagram channel attracts a lot of female users: more than 60 percent of their followers are female. It's clear that more work can be done to make men feel more welcome in the mindfulness space and to improve men's mental health.

“Meditation and mindfulness are critical for us to re-center ourselves, to be fully authentic,” says Yuta Hasumi, D&I board member of the Medito Foundation. "Many of us feel anxious and easily affected by what others think of us, especially in this age of social media. Because of unconscious and social biases, these are the way out of our control. Through meditation, we can refocus on feeling privileged about who we are."

Mindfulness and yoga tips from the Medito Foundation

Steven Yorke, co-founder of the Medito Foundation (Cardiff, UK)
"About 2 years ago I realized I couldn't touch my toes! I think this is a common problem for people who sit at a computer all day and can lead to back problems as we get older. Since then, I have been doing yoga daily and stretching every night before bed. Now I have no problem touching my toes! My three main stretches that help my hamstring flexibility are forward fold, downward fold Dog and three-legged dog. I usually wear simple shorts and a t-shirt when practicing. Every morning I do a yoga session followed by meditation with Medito. I used to meditate for 10 minutes, but then I increased it to 20 minutes and recently I started doing 1 hour. I need to see if I can continue these one hour sessions. “

Gareth Yorke, co-founder of the Medito Foundation (Bristol, UK)
"I like to stretch before and after a run, so I wear my running gear. My favorite stretches are downward dog, for stretching hamstrings and calves, low lunge for stretching quads and hamstrings, and 'viparita karani,' or legs on the wall, for improved circulation and muscle recovery time. I like to practice meditation every morning after breakfast. I'm an early riser, usually get up at 5:45 a.m. and like to meditate quietly in the early morning before starting work for the day. I also try to run 2-3 times a week and have started incorporating mindful running. “

Michael Martin, co-founder of the Medito Foundation (Los Angeles, USA)
"I have a lot of tension in my back and hips, so I like to do stretches that help disrupt that tension. Prasarita Padottanasana ("Feet Spread Intense Stretch Pose"), Janu Sirsasana ("Head-Knees Pose"), and Marichyasana ("Marichi's Pose") are three of my favorites. I'm not particularly particular about clothing, but I like something that keeps my muscles warm. I try to take meditation and mindfulness off the mat or pillow by practicing them throughout the day while completing regular tasks. For example, I will check in with my breath while waiting for web pages to load. I also practice the notation technique when I'm excited or feeling stuck, such as when I'm struggling with writer's block. By incorporating mindfulness into our daily activities, we can benefit 24/7. “

Mike Speed, co-founder of the Medito Foundation (Amsterdam, NL)
"You really can't do a forward fold to release hamstring tension after a workout. Child's Pose is good for a cool down. Similar to Michael, I like to be mindful throughout the day. I try to notice my feelings, sensations, or discomforts and experience them fully. When I play musical instruments, I find that mindfulness also helps me be focused without forcing."

Romain Sourdiaux, co-founder of the Medito Foundation (Amsterdam, NL)
"Yoga really helps me feel relaxed and grounded. My three favorite positions that help me undress and stretch after long Zoom calls are Downward Dog, Low Lunge, and Reclining Spinal Twist. I often feel overwhelmed by the negative events going on in the world - from inequality to climate change to the suffering of farm animals. I've learned that mediation and Mindfulness can help me become clearly aware of these things without becoming too overwhelmed. That's why I try to bring moments of mindfulness into what I do throughout the day and practice meditation regularly. “

Yuta Hasumi, D&I Board Member, Medito Foundation (London, UK)
"Meditation allows us to refocus on feeling privileged in who we are, wherever we are. That's why daily practice is key to managing stress and anxiety. Personally, I like to practice yoga and my favorite positions are butterfly, cow and dolphin planks. I usually wear soft cotton t-shirts and shorts."

Accessible meditation and mindfulness: The Medito app

Want access to meditation that doesn't cost the earth? Try the Medito app (FREE!).

Follow: @meditoHQ