Mindfulness meditation has experienced a phenomenal rise in popularity over the last few years. Since its founding roughly 2,600 years ago as a primarily obscure Buddhist idea, the technique has evolved into a widely used psychotherapy model.
Mindfulness Meditation is a mental exercise that teaches you to quiet your body and mind, let go of negativity, and slow down your racing thoughts.
It combines meditation with mindfulness, a state of awareness characterized by being present in "the now" to accept and enjoy your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.
While techniques vary, mindfulness meditation frequently involves deep breathing and knowing one's body and mind.
There is no need for preparation or props when practicing mindfulness meditation (unless you like using mantras, candles, or essential oils). All you need to begin is a relaxed sitting spot, three to five minutes of free time, and an attitude free of anxiety and judgment.
According to research, mindfulness meditation encourages metacognitive awareness, reduces rumination by disengaging from perseverative cognitive activity, and improves attentional abilities through improvements in working memory.
In turn, these cognitive improvements support efficient emotion-regulation techniques.
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Benefits of mindfulness meditation
Benefits of mindfulness meditation include;
Stress reduction
It has been demonstrated that healthy people who practice mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a standardized therapeutic approach to meditation, experience fewer signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, sadness, and chronic pain.
These are just some mental and physical illnesses the practice has proven helpful.
Lower heart rate
Studies show that mindfulness may be suitable for your heart as this is among the leading causes of death in the United States. In one study, participants had a choice of joining an online program for mindfulness meditation or being placed on a waiting list for conventional heart disease treatment.
Participants in mindfulness meditation showed considerably reduced heart rates and improved cardiovascular performance.
Increased immunity
According to research, practicing mindfulness may increase your body's resistance to illness. One study examined the effects of exercise and mindfulness on immune function.
They found that individuals in an eight-week mindfulness program fared better than those in the exercise group regarding immune system improvement.
Improved sleep
Mindfulness meditation can help with sleep quality and may even be effective in treating some sleep disorders. This goes a long way to improving quality of life.
Depression reduction
Depression is decreased by mindfulness, according to numerous research. For instance, in one study, 20 inexperienced meditators were requested to participate in a 10-day intensive mindfulness meditation retreat by Chambers et al. (2008).
Compared to a specific separate group, the meditation group reported considerably higher levels of self-reported mindfulness and lower levels of negative emotion after the retreat.
Additionally, they had fewer ruminative thoughts and depressive symptoms. In addition, compared to the other group, the meditators showed much more working memory capacity. Due to this, they were better able to maintain attention throughout a performance test.
Increases active memory
According to research, mindfulness also helps with memory Optimization. For instance, a 2010 study by Jha et al. studied the effects of mindfulness meditation on a military group that underwent an eight-week mindfulness training, an army group that did not practice mindfulness meditation, and a group of non-meditating civilians.
Before deployment, both military units were going through a tough time. Working memory capacity was shown to have deteriorated over time in the non-meditating military group but to have remained consistent in the meditating civilian group.
Optimizes Focus
Another study looked at how participants' capacity to concentrate and block out distractions was impacted by mindfulness meditation. The study's authors compared a group of seasoned mindfulness meditation practitioners with a select group that had never meditated before.
They discovered that the meditation group performed noticeably better on all attentional tests and reported higher levels of awareness. Cognitive flexibility and attentional functioning were directly connected with mindfulness meditation practice and mindfulness (Moore & Malinowski, 2009).
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Increases adaptability of the mind
Another body of research contends that mindfulness meditation may increase people's cognitive flexibility and reduce their reactivity.
The ability of self-observation, which neurologically disengages the automatic pathways built by earlier learning and permits present-moment input to be processed in a novel way, appears to be developed by persons who practice mindfulness meditation, according to one study (Siegel, 2007a).
According to Cahn and Polich (2006) and Davidson et al. (2003), meditation also stimulates the part of the brain linked to better adaptive reactions to stressful or unfavorable circumstances.
After being negatively triggered, activation of this area is associated with a quicker return to baseline (Davidson, 2000; Davidson, Jackson, & Kalin, 2000).
Relationship satisfaction
Several studies have found that a person's ability to be mindful can assist in predicting relationship happiness — The ability to respond effectively to relationship stress and to communicate one's emotions to a partner.
According to empirical research, being mindful can help people avoid the emotionally taxing effects of relationship conflict (Barnes et al., 2007; Wachs & Cordova, 2007), boost their ability to express themselves in a variety of social settings (Dekeyser et al., 2008), and predict relationship satisfaction.
Other benefits
Mindfulness has been shown to enhance morality, intuition, self-awareness, and fear regulation—all mental functions associated with the brain's middle prefrontal lobe.
Additionally, research suggests that mindfulness meditation has many health advantages, such as increased well-being and decreased psychological distress. Practicing mindfulness meditation also reduces distractions from the activity at hand and speeds up information processing.
Mindfulness meditation enhances an individual's overall health- mental and physical.
How to Use Meditation for Mindfulness
Learning mindfulness meditation is easy on your own, but getting started with a teacher or guide can be helpful, primarily if you practice meditation for a particular health benefit.
Because it is a practice, meditation is never flawless. However, you can start just as you are. Below are easy steps to get you going independently and kickstart your mindfulness meditation process.
Find a place of comfort
Find a peaceful, cozy location. Sit erect but not rigidly on a chair or the floor, with your head, neck, and back straight. Wearing loose, comfortable attire will also help you concentrate.
Set a timer
Even while it is not required, a timer (ideally with a soft, gentle alarm) can help you concentrate on your meditation and lose track of time, removing potential distractions.
It can also ensure you are not meditating excessively because many people lose track of time. Don't forget to give yourself time to wake up and slowly stand up after meditation.
Even a short daily meditation session can positive impact, even though some people prefer more extended sessions. Even if you feel comfortable meditating for 30 minutes, start with a brief 5-minute meditation session and gradually extend them by 10 or 15 minutes.
Focus on breathing
Become attentive to the sensation of air entering and leaving your body while you breathe. As the air passes through and out of your nostrils, you will feel your belly rise and fall.
Pay attention to how the temperature changes between the inhaled and expelled breath.
Take Note of Your Thoughts
The objective is to become more at ease with being the "witness" to the thoughts rather than to stop thinking. Do not dismiss or suppress thoughts that come to mind. Instead, acknowledge them. Just notice them, stay composed, and use your breathing as a centering force.
Watch your ideas drift by as they fluctuate and change like clouds passing by. Do this as many times as necessary.
Take a Break for Yourself
If your thoughts are getting out of control—whether driven by worry, fear, anxiety, or hope—observe where your thoughts have gone without passing judgment and return to breathing.
If this occurs, do not be too hard on yourself; mindfulness constantly brings your attention back to your breath and the present moment.
Install an App
If you are having trouble practicing mindfulness meditation on your own, think about installing an app (like Calm or Headspace) that offers complimentary meditation and teaches you various techniques to help you stay calm throughout the day.
It can be challenging to begin a mindfulness meditation practice. However, you should note that even a short daily session can be most helpful and life-transforming.
