Mindfulness benefits for your health are proven through studies and quite impressive. Don’t miss the list of 22 mindfulness benefits below.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is about consciously choosing to focus your attention on the present moment and accept it as it is. That could be the food you’re eating, the music you’re listening to, or the dishes you’re washing. With mindfulness, you learn to stay in the now, without judgement and often with increased appreciation. The roots of mindfulness are in Buddhism, but it is not specifically a religious practice.
Practicing regular mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve both physical and mental health. Mindfulness focuses on a single task at a time. It’s not compatible with multi-tasking – it’s more in alignment with quality than quantity, calm over frenzy.
22 Mindfulness Benefits
- helps relieve stress
- lowers blood pressure
- treats heart disease
- reduces chronic pain (Fibromyalgia is an example)
- improves sleep
- aids working memory
- allows better focus and attention
- improves creativity
- makes music sound better and food taste better
- reduces “mind chatter”
- improves signaling connections in the brain
- increases compassion and emotional intelligence
- reduces mood swings
- increases self-control
- improves digestion
- supports the immune system
- helps with conflicts at home or at work
- improves mood (positive impact on both depression and anxiety)
- helpful in treatment for substance abuse
- helpful in treatment for OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- may assist with eating disorders or weight loss
- improves control of blood sugar in type II diabetics
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, is a structured group program that uses mindfulness meditation to alleviate suffering associated with physical, psychosomatic and psychiatric disorders.” A review and meta-analysis of 64 published and unpublished studies over the last two decades indicate that MBSR may help a widely varied group of individuals to cope with health and psychological issues. Studies researched included patients suffering from cancer, heart disease, depression and anxiety, as well non-clinical participants suffering from stress.
Even Small Children Benefit From Mindfulness Training
Age-appropriate mindfulness training in small children has been shown to help develop self-regulation and support reflection and more self-controlled behavior, while reducing anxiety and stress.
An Introduction to Mindfulness
Here is a small and deceptively simple mindfulness exercise that can be very helpful when practiced several times per day, particularly in moments of stress.
- Notice the sensations in your body. Observe areas of tension or pain, and notice also more relaxed areas.
- Take in a deep breath through your nose, allowing the air to flow all the way down to your abdomen.
- Hold the breath briefly, then breath out slowly and fully through your mouth.
- Notice the sensations of each inhalation and exhalation.
- Pay attention to all of your senses: touch, hearing, sight, taste, smell. Notice whether you are warm or cold, whether there is air movement around you.
- Repeat slowly and deliberately for a couple more breaths while continuing to notice sensation. If your mind wanders, bring it gently back to simply noticing your breathing and body sensations.
Mindfulness Meditation in Hong Kong
We offer a powerful therapy offered by Dr. Anne Hilty here at our Hong Kong medical practice that integrates mindfulness therapy and a special type of acupuncture called Acu-mind. Your therapist will insert five tiny acupuncture needles in each ear, and then guide you through a mindfulness meditation that will allow you to enter a lightly meditative state. The therapist will then instruct you in a series of mindfulness techniques. The entire treatment is deeply relaxing and theraputic, and a wonderful way to introduce yourself to mindfulness benefits and techniques. Call (+852) 2523 8044 today to make an appointment.