Mindfulness meditation has become a hot trend in psychology. Studies suggest that it reduces stress, boosts attention and memory, lowers emotional reactivity and improves self-regulation.
Basic mindfulness meditation involves sitting quietly and focusing on natural breathing or a word or “mantra” you repeat silently. When your attention wanders, be kind to yourself and gently redirect it.
1. Reduces stress
Mindfulness meditation involves deliberately focusing attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. This practice, which has roots in Buddhism but is now being studied scientifically, has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
It’s a technique that can be used to reduce anxiety and depression and boost the immune system. Researchers have found that mindfulness reduces stress by decreasing automatic reactivity and reducing negative self-talk, as well as by promoting empathy and compassion for others.
Epidemiological studies show that higher levels of mindfulness correlate with lower perceived stress and better subjective well-being. It is also associated with decreased emotional reactivity and enhanced cognitive control (Sharpe and Robinson, 2008; Ortner et al., 2007). Mindfulness meditation is a form of relaxation that can be done in as little as 20 minutes per day.
2. Reduces anxiety
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce anxiety, and studies show that it’s as effective as the popular anti-anxiety drug escitalopram (Lexapro). It can also improve stress resilience by “dialing down” the body’s stress response to future taxing situations.
A basic mindfulness meditation involves sitting quietly and focusing on your natural breathing or a word or “mantra” that you repeat silently. When thoughts pop up, simply notice them and return to your focus on the breath or mantra.
Mindfulness meditation for anxiety may also involve noticing subtle body sensations like an itch or tingling and allowing emotions to be present without judgment. It can also include “mindful inquiry,” a practice that explores the emotions, sensations and beliefs that are driving your anxieties and fears, helping you let them go.
3. Boosts immune system
Mindfulness meditation helps improve attention regulation, body awareness and emotional regulation, which in turn impacts the immune system. When the body is less stressed, it can save energy that it would otherwise use to suppress immune responses.
The practice of mindfulness also shifts one’s perception of stressful situations. If something is perceived as dangerous or threatening, the body releases stress hormones that can weaken your immunity.
Researchers found that those who meditated regularly had healthier immune systems than those who didn’t. They had fewer inflammatory proteins, and their telomerase activity—which promotes the maintenance of chromosomes and prevents them from deteriorating—was higher. While these results need to be replicated using more rigorous methods, they are promising and may help us better understand how mindfulness affects our bodies.
4. Reduces pain
In studies involving participants with chronic pain, mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce both self-reported and experimentally induced pain. It also increases pain tolerance, allowing people to endure pain for longer periods of time.
To practice, find a quiet spot, sit or lie down comfortably (for neck and back support use pillows) and make yourself aware of your breathing. Then notice your thoughts without judging them, and each time you get distracted, gently coax your attention back to the current moment.
Studies using MRI have found that mindfulness meditation reduces the brain’s response to pain, including the nociceptive-specific pain signature and negative affective pain signature. But it doesn’t reduce a placebo-based signature, called SIIPS-1, which reflects psychosocial factors. This suggests that meditation’s positive effects on pain are not due to placebo effects.
5. Increases self-awareness
Mindfulness meditation helps you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions and physical sensations so that you can better manage them. Research shows that people who meditate are able to distinguish between different emotional states and experience less emotional lability (the tendency for emotions to change rapidly).
The basic mindfulness meditation practice involves sitting quietly and focusing on your natural breath or on a word or mantra you repeat silently. Throughout your session, when your mind wanders into planning, daydreaming or criticism, gently redirect it to the sensation of your breathing.
You can even bring mindfulness into your everyday life, such as while eating, working or interacting with others. But don’t expect to master it right away; it takes time and persistence. Try to meditate for at least 20 minutes a day.
