Beginner's Guide To Mindfulness

Key Benefits Of Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation, as mentioned, is about focusing on your breath and bringing your attention back to it when it wanders. Broadly, this practice enhances an individual's attention span and ability to focus, which can be applied to many different areas of life. For instance, it can help students study for longer or maintain focus during an exam. Mindfulness meditation and deep mindful breathing have also been shown to greatly reduce the body's production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Many studies go into specific benefits, such as lowered blood pressure, increased immune system functionality, increased self-awareness, and lessened pain sensitivity

Of course, the overarching benefit of mindfulness is the ability to live in the present without worrying about the past or future, which can significantly alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and similar issues with mental health.

Used with Other Mental Health Treatment

Mindfulness can be used with other mental health treatment, especially when an individual is dealing with a diagnosed mental illness. Many mental health conditions are caused by a lack or excess of certain chemicals in the brain. When this is the case, it can help to combine tactics like mindfulness with medications like anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants. There are other therapeutic methods that can be used in conjunction with mindfulness as well. One common therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With CBT, patients treat their mental health symptoms by working on having appropriate responses to irrational emotions. When patients combine cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness, they get a better sense of how to deal with their emotions and stay present in the moment.