As we discussed in our previous blog post about ways to look after your mental health – Mindfulness practice was highlighted as one of the things you can do to look after your mental health on a daily basis.
What is mindfulness?
Mindful.org define mindfulness as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us”.
We can all be mindful as it is a skill we all naturally possess, however it will become easier to do if you practice on a daily basis.
Mindfulness involves focusing on sensations which you can feel happening in your body in the present moment.
Healthline states that practicing mindfulness is like becoming a parent to your mind rather than letting your mind control you. This is because mindfulness practice can create patience and compassion for yourself, teaching your mind to be still and present.
Another key part of mindfulness is to be aware of what is happening without judgement. It is easy to slip into the habit of judging the way you are thinking or feeling rather than just allowing everything to come and go without attaching our own thoughts and judgements.
We can all be mindful as it is a skill we all naturally possess, however it will become easier to do if you practice on a daily basis.
Mindfulness involves focusing on sensations which you can feel happening in your body in the present moment.
Healthline states that practicing mindfulness is like becoming a parent to your mind rather than letting your mind control you. This is because mindfulness practice can create patience and compassion for yourself, teaching your mind to be still and present.
Another key part of mindfulness is to be aware of what is happening without judgement. It is easy to slip into the habit of judging the way you are thinking or feeling rather than just allowing everything to come and go without attaching our own thoughts and judgements.
What is the point of mindfulness?
Mindfulness has been proven to help us manage common mental health problems including depression, anxiety and feelings of stress. Although it may not be the cure, there is growing research which shows that when you train your brain to be mindful, you are actually remodelling the physical structure of the brain.
Mindfulness can help you to:
Mindfulness can help you to:
- Become more self-aware
- Be kinder to yourself or others
- Feel more calm
- Feel more equipped to choose how to respond to your thoughts and feelings
- Help you to cope with difficult or upsetting thoughts
- Improve cognitive abilities
- Slow brain aging
- Increase your sense of well-being
- Help with pain management
Where did mindfulness come from?
Mindfulness has been practiced in various religions including Hinduism and Buddhism as well as being used in yoga practice and non-religious meditation. People have been practicing mindfulness for thousands of years, popularised in the East by religious and spiritual institutions.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is defined as “A practice involving focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques”. These techniques are intended to create a heightened state of awareness and focused attention.
There are 2 main types of meditation which include:
Concentrative meditation: Which involves focusing all of your attention on one specific things, such as the breath, while tuning out everything else. The goal here is to really experience whatever it is you are focusing on to reach a higher state of being.
Mindfulness meditation: This involves meditation coupled with mindfulness practice to target mental health issues. Mainly focusing on being aware and involved in the present moment rather than letting your mind wander.
Meditation also has foundations in ancient philosophies and world religions with different forms coming from all around the world.
There are 2 main types of meditation which include:
Concentrative meditation: Which involves focusing all of your attention on one specific things, such as the breath, while tuning out everything else. The goal here is to really experience whatever it is you are focusing on to reach a higher state of being.
Mindfulness meditation: This involves meditation coupled with mindfulness practice to target mental health issues. Mainly focusing on being aware and involved in the present moment rather than letting your mind wander.
Meditation also has foundations in ancient philosophies and world religions with different forms coming from all around the world.
What does meditation do?
- Decreases symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Improves your ability to think, concentrate and solve problems
- Improved ability to adapt and overcome emotional problems
These benefits also have a big impact on your physical health, improving how well you sleep, your heart function and much more.
Why does it work?
There are a large number of scientific studies which show a vast amount of evidence that meditation and mindfulness practice can have an impact on the structure of your brain.
Forbes reported that Harvard found in a 2011 study that after 8 weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) the cortical thickness in the hippocampus increased – which is the part of the brain that governs learning and memory.
As well as this, there were decreases in brain cell volume in the amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for fear, anxiety and stress.
There is also more and more evidence to show that meditation can help with addiction. This may be because meditation helps to disassociate the state of craving with the act of e.g., smoking. This means that one doesn’t always have to lead to the other but teaches people to ride out the ‘wave’ of craving until it passes.
Forbes reported that Harvard found in a 2011 study that after 8 weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) the cortical thickness in the hippocampus increased – which is the part of the brain that governs learning and memory.
As well as this, there were decreases in brain cell volume in the amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for fear, anxiety and stress.
There is also more and more evidence to show that meditation can help with addiction. This may be because meditation helps to disassociate the state of craving with the act of e.g., smoking. This means that one doesn’t always have to lead to the other but teaches people to ride out the ‘wave’ of craving until it passes.
How can you practice mindfulness and meditation?
To practice mindfulness, it is important to:
Notice how your thoughts come and go in your mind – You can learn that your thoughts and feelings are not actually a part of you and they don’t need to define your experience of the world – you can let them all go.
Notice what your body is telling you – If you can feel tension in parts of your body, if your heart is beating faster or slower, if you’re breathing is heavy or shallow.
Create a space between you and your thoughts – As your thoughts are not part of you, creating a space to look at these thoughts objectively can help you to reflect on them and react more calmly or let go of the thoughts which are not serving you
This short video from Mind can give you more information about mindfulness.
Mindful.org sets out these steps to follow to practice meditation:
The key with mindfulness and meditation is to practice every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes.
Adding mindfulness and meditation to your routine will take practice. To help yourself, put reminders around you or create new patterns, for example taking a deep breath every time you answer the phone. Every time you intentionally practice mindful behaviours your skill will grow.
Notice how your thoughts come and go in your mind – You can learn that your thoughts and feelings are not actually a part of you and they don’t need to define your experience of the world – you can let them all go.
Notice what your body is telling you – If you can feel tension in parts of your body, if your heart is beating faster or slower, if you’re breathing is heavy or shallow.
Create a space between you and your thoughts – As your thoughts are not part of you, creating a space to look at these thoughts objectively can help you to reflect on them and react more calmly or let go of the thoughts which are not serving you
This short video from Mind can give you more information about mindfulness.
Mindful.org sets out these steps to follow to practice meditation:
- Sit down somewhere calm and quiet.
- Set a time limit if you are just starting out try 5 or 10 minutes.
- Notice your body, make sure you are in a stable position you can stay in comfortably for a while.
- Feel your breath and follow the sensation as it goes in and out.
- Notice when your mind has wandered. Your attention will inevitably leave the breath and wander. When you notice that your mind has wandered, simply return your attention to the breath.
- Be patient and kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself or obsess over your thoughts. Just come back to the breath. This is part of the practice, the more you practice, the easier this will become.
- Close with kindness – When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes or lift your gaze. Take a moment to notice anything in your environment and notice how your body is feeling now.
The key with mindfulness and meditation is to practice every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes.
Adding mindfulness and meditation to your routine will take practice. To help yourself, put reminders around you or create new patterns, for example taking a deep breath every time you answer the phone. Every time you intentionally practice mindful behaviours your skill will grow.
RSS Feed
