I found reading the previos thread hugely helpful. I have a tendency to overdo meditation, rationalizing this with my advanced age and the amount of stress experienced in life.

One recurring problem in releasing stress for me is migraine. This malady occurs typically when after much activity combined with stress there is a calm day of leisure time - the skull will be throbbing. And small wonder after overdoing NSR the same happens, a surge of migraine. Now I really limit myself to 15 minutes a session and try to rest as long as comfortably possible after meditating, usually five to ten minutes. The results are very good.

Perhaps you really have to experience once a too strong release of stress in order to appreciate the importance of limiting NSR to the recommended time.

One problem remains, though: I tend to experience a small shock whenever I check the watch and notice that the time has elapsed or that I perhaps have overdone for several minutes. Is there any special recommandation for dealing with this?

ThoSchi,

Thanks for your insight into meditation, stress, and headaches.

I'm not sure from your description why you are feeling a shock when you check the time. If you are opening both eyes, try opening only one, slowly, just enough to see the watch. Opening both eyes quickly will shock the system because it brings the metabolism suddenly up to the surface (daily activity) level.

Another thing you can try is to sit for 2-3 minutes when you feel that the meditation time is over. Then check the time.

Checking the time is just a confirmation for our inner knowledge that the time is up. This knowledge develops with regular practice of NSR.

David Spector
Natural Stress Relief/USA

I am not quite sure myself why there is this little shock when checking the watch. Perhaps it is the abrupt realization that the time is over, But I am going to try your recommendation about waiting a little bit.