How Eva Longoria Stays Focused During Meditation

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to chat about all things wellness, from their workout playlists to their most reliable self-care hacks. Here, Eva Longoria shares her tips for focusing during meditation and getting a good night’s sleep.

In the years since Eva Longoria commanded our attention as Gaby Solis on the juicy comedy-drama Desperate Housewives, she’s harnessed her power by becoming a fierce advocate for underrepresented communities, particularly Latinx women, in TV and film, STEM, and politics. Most recently, the Golden Globe nominee launched Connections With Eva Longoria, a podcast tackling spirituality, money, romance, food, and more. She’s also set to host the new CNN+ travel show Searching For Mexico, a spinoff of Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy. And her directorial feature debut, Flamin’ Hot, which tells the inspiring rags-to-riches story of Richard Montañez, who has been credited for inventing the iconic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack, is currently in post-production.

So, how does the multitalented star avoid burnout with a usually jam-packed schedule? “I enjoy everything that I do, and I only say yes to things that don’t give me burnout,” the 47-year-old tells Bustle. “When they approached me to do a podcast, I knew it had to be something I’m going to enjoy, so that every time it’s on my calendar, I don’t dread it. That’s how I approach everything in my life.”

Saying yes to only what feels exciting leaves more time for Longoria to prioritize her wellness routine, which includes plenty of sleep. Eye health is also important to the actor-turned-activist, so when she started experiencing presbyopia, aka age-related blurry near vision, her eye physician prescribed her Allergan's Vuity. So, her current partnership with Vuity, the first and only FDA-approved prescription eye drop that treats presbyopia, makes perfect sense. “I really try to pay attention to my body and what it’s telling me,” she says.

Here, Longoria reveals her favorite way to decompress, the morning workout she swears by, and the wellness trend that’s on her bucket list.

Talk to me about your overall approach to wellness.

For me, it’s being aware, taking emotional inventory, working out, meditating, listening to podcasts, and prioritizing “me” time, whether it’s a massage or seeing my chiropractor.

How do you like to start your day?

I start every day with my [3-year-old] son [Santiago] waking me up. He comes and wakes me up with a kiss, but after that, I roll out of bed and go straight into the gym because if I don't do it in the morning, I won’t get it done. And if I don’t get it done, I’m in a bad mood all day. Right after I work out and as I’m stretching, I meditate. It could be for two minutes or 20 minutes. It just depends on the day, but those are the two things that really center and ground me every morning.

Do you have any advice for people who struggle to stay focused while meditating?

My biggest advice is to follow a guided meditation. A lot of times, you feel like, “I can’t do this, I can’t quiet my mind,” but when you have somebody walking you through it, it’s so much easier. That’s really a gateway into deeper meditation. Jay Shetty has an amazing partnership with the Calm app; he does guided meditations and you can choose your time. Marianne Williamson has daily meditations on Substack and hers are like two to three minutes. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

Aside from meditation, what do you turn to for de-stressing and letting the day go?

I’m big on massages. I have an amazing masseuse named Kimmy in LA and she’s my go-to stress relief. [Laughs.]

What’s the most offbeat wellness trend you’ve tried?

I don’t think I do anything offbeat — I don’t do goat yoga or anything like that. But when I first started doing trampoline workouts, everybody was like, “What is that?”

What do you enjoy most about trampoline workouts? Any other exercises you enjoy?

It’s so good for lymphatic drainage. I burn more calories doing that than running an hour, so it’s really changed my life. Aside from bouncing, I do heavy weight training.

With morning workouts being non-negotiable, what’s on your playlist?

I love Latin pop and reggaetón, so Pitbull to J Balvin and Maluma. Those are my jams.

Is there any trend you’d like to try?

I wish I could try cryotherapy. It just seems like you’ve got to go to a place and do it. So if I have to leave my house, it’s already out of the question. [Laughs]

After a busy day, what do you need for a good night’s sleep?

I learned during the pandemic that what you’re putting into your body and at what time really affects your sleep and your sleep affects your day and your mentality. It’s all connected.

I have the Oura Ring, which uses biometric data to figure out your sleep pattern. What I found is I get deep sleep when I don’t eat super late, so I usually eat with my son around 5 or 6 in the evening, and then I’m done for the night.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.