Meditation for Mental Rest and Emotional Recovery
| with guest Sam Gibson-Massey |
Sometimes the most powerful ADHD strategies aren’t about doing more. They’re about doing less, on purpose. For Sam, founder of workplace wellbeing platform Hope, meditation isn’t about clearing your mind or achieving stillness perfection. It’s about slowing down a racing brain long enough to recharge.
If you can relate to being like a Lamborghini brain with bicycle brakes, this practice might be for you.
“You’ve got this wonderful mind, but sometimes it just needs time to rest. Meditation gives it space to catch up and breathe.”
— Sam Gibson-Massey, ADHDifference
Why This Strategy Matters
ADHD brains process rapidly and often in multiple directions at once. That hyper-speed can be powerful, but it’s also draining. For Sam, high performance led to emotional burnout. Meditation became a crucial part of avoiding the crash.
The strategy works not by eliminating thoughts, but by creating space to observe them. It allows your executive function (your “inner adult”) to take the wheel when the emotional engine is over-revving.
When to Use This Strategy
Meditation can help in high-output seasons or low moments of emotional overload:
- When burnout is creeping in: Meditation reduces mental load by shifting the brain into a low-energy state.
- When spiraling thoughts won’t stop: Sitting quietly helps you notice patterns without getting trapped in them.
- When executive function is offline: A few minutes of stillness can bring back clarity and calm decision-making.
- When you’re losing connection with yourself: Meditation becomes a meeting point for reflection and self-awareness.
How to Practice It (No Perfection Required)
You don’t need to be good at meditating to benefit from it. For Sam, Transcendental Meditation (TM) helped most: 20 minutes, twice a day, sitting in silence. No music, no apps, just a quiet moment to unplug his overworked mind.
But you can start even smaller:
- 5-Minute Check-In: Sit quietly for 5 minutes. Let your thoughts wander. There’s no “wrong” way to do this.
- Sensory Reset: Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and focus on one sound, scent, or physical sensation.
- Nature Anchor: Sit outdoors and watch the wind, clouds, or trees. Let your mind match that slower pace.
Sam reminds us: meditation isn’t about “doing it right.” It’s about giving yourself permission to pause.
The Science Behind It
Meditation supports ADHD brains by:
- Slowing neural activity: It reduces brainwave frequency, giving the mind a rest from constant stimulus.
- Improving self-awareness: You learn to observe instead of react, key for managing emotional overwhelm.
- Activating executive function: Quiet stillness strengthens the brain’s ability to pause and choose the next best step.
It’s like handing the wheel over to the calmest part of your mind and letting your inner chaos breathe.
💬 Final Thought
Sam’s experience reminds us that stillness can be a strategy. When the world says “do more,” your ADHD brain might actually need to sit, breathe, and do less for a moment.
You don’t need incense or perfect posture. You just need a few minutes of quiet curiosity.