There is no optimal length of time you should exercise, and there is no perfect number of minutes to meditate, either. With either physical exercise or meditation, it’s important that the amount of time you do it be sufficient to challenge you a bit, but not so much as to leave you feeling demoralized or exhausted.

 

Making meditation a regular part of your day is more important than how long you meditate. For that reason, the length of time you meditate should be sustainable for you. It won’t do you much good to meditate for 90 minutes one day when you happen to have the time, and then feel guilty the rest of the week when you can’t replicate that.

 

Similar to exercise, there seems to be benefit in even a small amount of meditation if your schedule doesn’t allow you to do your usual amount. Consider this example: let’s say you go jogging for two miles a day. One day, you’re busy and can only do half a mile. Are you better off doing this than sitting on the couch? Yes. Will it benefit you as much as doing two miles? It’s unlikely. Meditation is similar — there does not appear to be a magical minute’s threshold that, should you fall short, you’re wasting your time.