Some people may feel frustrated when they try mindfulness and find it difficult to stick with it. This is because they may have a limited understanding of what mindfulness actually is.
They might think it is only about practicing formal, seated meditation. However, it is possible to practice mindfulness in many different ways.
1. It can help you deal with stress
When you’re stressed, it can be hard to take a step back and observe what’s going on. Instead, you might get caught up in negative thoughts and emotions like rumination or anger. Mindfulness helps you detach from these feelings and gain some distance so that you can respond to them in a healthier way.
A regular mindfulness practice can help you reduce stress by decreasing activity in your amygdala, which is responsible for switching on the body’s stress response (Quast, 2018). It can also increase your level of compassion for yourself and others, reducing destructive behaviors.
However, it’s important to note that mindful practices don’t automatically lead to positive outcomes. Just because you feel calm and observant one day doesn’t mean that your mindfulness skills are perfected. It’s normal for your mind to wander, so don’t give in to the urge to judge yourself for it. Be patient and gently bring your attention back to the practice. Over time, you will become more skilled at staying present and observing your thoughts and emotions as they come and go.
2. It can help you sleep better
If your worry is preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep, mindfulness may help. A study published in JAMA found that older adults with chronic insomnia reported improved sleep after participating in a mindfulness program.
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present, which can be done in many ways. A common practice is meditation, but you can also do things like focusing on the sensations of your breath or listening to soothing music. Another way to practice mindfulness is by noticing when your thoughts wander and gently bringing them back to the moment.
However, it’s important to note that mindfulness isn’t the cure-all for all sleep problems. For example, it won’t help people who struggle with sleep apnea or circadian rhythm disorders.
In addition to promoting better sleep, mindfulness can also improve mood and reduce depression symptoms. Whether it’s by breathing deeply, journaling, or simply feeling the wind on your skin, practicing mindfulness can be very beneficial for your mental health. It can also be a powerful tool for people who have experienced trauma.
3. It can help you make better decisions
Mindfulness helps people become clearer thinkers and better decision-makers. It also makes them less likely to fall victim to the intention-behaviour gap that occurs when a person knows what they need to do but doesn’t do it (Dhanik, 2017).
For instance, mindfulness can help people assess the trade-offs involved in a particular project. It allows them to identify their values and priorities, and it helps them to recognise the limitations of their own knowledge and experience. By standing on a metaphorical balcony that distancing themselves from their emotions and thoughts, mindful individuals are able to evaluate the discrepancies between their intuition and systematic analysis.
Moreover, research suggests that mindfulness training can increase the thickness of the prefrontal cortex, an area that governs future planning. This means that people who are more mindful are more resilient when they make tough decisions and can prevent burnout from emotional exhaustion.
However, it’s important to remember that mindfulness isn’t a panacea. It can’t solve all your problems and it should never be used as a substitute for other types of therapy.
4. It can help you deal with pain
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that helps you pay attention to the present moment and let go of negative or unhelpful thoughts. It can also help you regulate emotions, which can be helpful if you have chronic pain.
One study found that mindfulness meditation decreases depression relapse and improves chronic pain management. Another found that it can reduce stress and increase the effectiveness of opioid medications. It can also improve sleep and boost the immune system.
People who practice mindfulness say it can change how they experience life and reduce anxiety and depression, soothe insomnia, aid in breaking free from unhealthy habits and addictions, decrease or eliminate pain, calm high blood pressure, and even change the structure and function of the brain in positive ways. Researchers are working to understand why this happens.
While it is important to note that mindfulness doesn’t necessarily solve all problems and may be difficult for some people, there is growing evidence that it does have the power to relieve pain. However, if your chronic pain is severe, it is important to seek medical treatment for the underlying cause.
5. It can help you manage emotions
Emotions are vital for helping us understand and cope with our world. However, they can also become a source of stress, if not managed effectively. Mindfulness can help you recognise and accept difficult emotions, and learn to manage them so that they don’t control you.
For example, if you’re feeling angry or anxious, mindfulness can teach you to shift your focus to the sensations in your body. You can focus on the feeling in your gut, or on the way your hands feel on the keyboard. By noticing and accepting these feelings, you can calm yourself down and realise that your emotional responses are normal.
Practicing mindfulness can also decrease your negativity bias. For example, a study showed that people who practice mindfulness were less reactive to negative images than their peers. It could be because they are more able to view challenges as opportunities and see positive outcomes (Hulsheger et al, 2013). This can help them avoid burnout in emotionally draining jobs. It can also help them keep their perspective when they receive bad news or feedback at work.does mindfulness work
