Mindfulness has become a mental health buzzword over the last several years. Many different groups of people are convinced of the power of the mind, and ways that we can harness this power. There are multiple types of mindfulness that are practiced around the world. This includes yogis, meditation gurus, and professional therapists as well. There is now even an international day to celebrate the practice of yoga. There are imperial studies that have shown improvement in an individual’s ability to cope, relax, and de-stress with mindfulness-based meditation practices.
Mindfulness practices, depression and stress
With mental health being at the forefront of everyone’s minds, let’s take a look at the benefits to mental health first. It has been seen in numerous studies that people who practice mindfulness activities are less likely to show depressive symptoms. One study looked at 20 participants. They participated in a 10-day workshop on mindfulness and meditation. At the end of the study, it was found that the meditation group was more positive when compared to the control group.
Stress is very prominent in the world today, and scientists are finding more and more ways that stress can negatively impact your life in more ways than a few gray hairs. This becomes more obvious every day.
With the major impact that stress can have on your quality of life, it is important to find ways to reduce your stress. While it would be nice to just go on a permanent vacation, you need to find more realistic solutions to your stress. Study after study confirms that engaging in mindfulness meditation, even just once a day, can greatly improve how your mind and body handles stress.
How memory and focus are impacted by meditation and mindfulness
In addition to helping your mental health, meditation with a focus on mindfulness has been shown to improve your productivity. This comes in part from a measured boost in your working memory. While most people find that their memory capabilities decline over time, people engaged in mindfulness training can reverse this trend.
They see an increase in their abilities related to working memory over time. When you are able to remember things better, you spend more time being productive, and less time trying to remember what you were working on.
Your focus is what makes your effort turn into results. No matter how hard you work, if you are unfocused you are not going to be as productive as you could be. Studies have shown that mindfulness and meditation can increase your ability to suppress distractions. This helps you stay on task, and get things done effectively.
How do you achieve mindfulness?
Now that you know how much mindfulness can enhance your life, you need to find a way to introduce it into your life. Most studies used mindfulness retreats to help participants gain mindfulness.
This is not always going to be possible, but do not fret. Some studies support that mindfulness is a journey, and not something you graduate from at the end of a retreat. As little as 10 minutes a day can produce emotional and cognitive benefits.
