Dear friend, are you affected by moments of great stress, anxiety, mood swings, or concentrative problems? If any of these are your case, know that you can take advantage of practicing mindfulness: a type of meditation well studied by science and which generates health and well-being.
People all around the world have been practicing this physical and mental discipline more and more. This post will teach you how to perform this exercise and outline its advantages. Find out more below as you read on!
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a meditative practice often translated as “full attention”. It combines different techniques so that the practitioner can direct their thoughts to the present moment. The individual recognizes their own thoughts, feelings and sensations, but without judging them.
The practice originates from contemplative traditions, such as Buddhism, and has been around for many years. It has been adapted and incorporated into various mental health programs. By encouraging focus on the present moment, mindfulness alleviates stress and excessive anxiety.
What are the associated benefits?
The core of mindfulness, which has several advantages for productivity and health, is being aware of your thoughts while remaining present and detached from them. Take a look at them down below.
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Stress reduction
Significant reductions in people’s stress levels are being highlighted as the main benefits of practicing mindfulness regularly. Those who think about the present slow down their thoughts and alleviate the anxiety typical of our era, stopping focusing on the future. With practice, the brain gets used to this new configuration, reducing automatic stress reactions.
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Improved mental health
In situations of mental illnesses, mindfulness cannot replace psychology or psychiatry. Nonetheless, science has acknowledged it as an adjunctive method that helps lessen the signs and symptoms of anxiety, despair, and other mental illnesses. It has also been demonstrated to be helpful in preserving life quality and averting certain illnesses.
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Improved concentration and cognition
One of the clearest benefits of mindfulness is that people can slow down their thoughts and increase their ability to concentrate. Focusing on the present moment reduces distractions that insist on appearing in the middle of our daily activities, which can even help with productivity .
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Increased sleep quality
Usually, people cannot sleep or, having fallen asleep, wake up due to the acceleration of their racing thoughts and overwhelming emotions. Mindfulness brings calmness and peacefulness; therefore, it indirectly positively affects the quality of rest due to its ability to decrease mental rumination.
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Improvement in Physical Health
Some scientific studies have also associated this practice with some physical health benefits. Mindfulness increases people’s body awareness, making it easier to understand the relation that exists between the body and mind. Also, there is evidence that this exercise can improve posture, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the immunity of practitioners.
How to adopt the practice?
To put mindfulness into practice, there are some guidelines that need to be followed in order to obtain the maximum possible benefits mentioned.
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Choose a suitable location
Let’s first appreciate what mindfulness is all about – enhancing serenity and focus in the present moment. Choose a quiet place where you are sure no one will interrupt you. This room should ideally be noise-free as much as possible. Remove distractions, including your phone. The exercise need not take long, between 5 to 10 minutes a day. Indeed, one must commit fully for the time duration.
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Assume a comfortable position
If you are uncomfortable, you may feel pain in parts of your body during the practice. Therefore, the idea is to sit or lie down in the desired location (cushion or mattress, for example), keeping your spine aligned. Avoid crossing your legs or arms. Stay seated if you think it will make you sleepy.
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Adopt a single focus
In order to concentrate on the present moment, you need to adopt a focus for your attention. This focus can be your breathing, your heartbeat or the sensations experienced in each part of your body at that moment. Focus your attention on the chosen focus throughout the practice. If you wish, there are guided meditations, with sounds and speeches that guide your thinking.
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Be present
This is perhaps the most important tip of all. While you are practicing, be present, avoiding thinking about your obligations and worries. If you wish, write down these worries on a piece of paper before you begin practicing, allowing your mind to relax.
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Accept thoughts without judgment
As we mentioned, it is important not to focus on your worries when practicing mindfulness. However, if they arise, do not blame yourself. Just allow the thought to pass, without clinging to it or judging it. Embrace yourself and be kind to yourself. Return to focusing on your breathing to get back into the flow of your practice.
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Practice regularly
Lastly, remember that the positive effects of mindfulness on your day-to-day life will only be realized when it is practiced as a habit. It is better to meditate for 5 minutes a day than for 30 minutes a week. It is the habit that accounts for the effectiveness of mindfulness and not time spent. Stick to it!
As you develop the ability to be more present, you can experience the benefits of this approach in many areas of your life, especially in your mental health. Let mindfulness make a difference in your quality of life!