Impact of Mindfulness on our Health & Wellbeing

“As you read this, wiggle your toes. Feel the way they push against your shoes, and the weight of your feet on the floor. Congratulations, you’ve just done a few moments of mindfulness”

Says Tom Ireland writing for 'Scientific American'

Did you know Mindfulness originates from Buddhism?

We don’t have to be Buddhists to practice it though.

“You too could become enlightened!”

It’s been a useful therapy for anxiety and depression for around the last decade.

Schools, pro sports teams and military units are exploring it’s possibilities for enhanced performance, and is showing promise as a way of helping sufferers of chronic pain, addiction and tinnitus, too.

There is even some evidence that mindfulness can help with the symptoms of certain physical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, and HIV.

“And all it involves is some quiet reflection each week and even better 10 minutes each day”. 

If you would like to try some mindfulness, we like to use this one for clients, it’s just 10 minutes long just click here.

A University in North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrated a correlation between mindfulness practice in couples and an enhanced relationship.

“The couples reported improved closeness, acceptance of one another, autonomy, and general relationship satisfaction.” 

This ‘loving-kindness’ type meditation involves positive imagery and wishes towards another or yourself affecting how we relate to people.

One study tested participants by showing them pictures of strangers after carrying out this particular ‘loving-kindness’ meditation.

The participant’s thoughts and feelings were positively affected regarding the stranger’s pictures, which demonstrated how the meditation heightened their abilities to socially connect.

Also, parents of children with disabilities noticed increased positive parenting and improved relationship with their children. They also experienced less stress as a result of the mindfulness.

“In these studies, the children of these parents benefited from the mindful parenting practice, showing decreases in aggressive and non-compliant behaviour.”

If you or someone you know is interested in experiencing the benefits of mindfulness, or you are finding life difficult to cope with, please contact Therapy for Life

Sam or Jackie will be happy to help you.
Source:
Scientific American
Mindfulness Research

Excellent 10 minutes Mindfulness video, My clients love it!

Spend just 10 minutes doing this in the evening or when needed on your own or with a partner. Mindfulness helps you concentrate and focus your awareness back to the here and now instead of worrying about the future or the past.

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgment. Mindfulness is now being examined scientifically and has been found to be a key element in happiness.

When you practice mindfulness meditation, you're sharpening your focus (usually by paying more attention to your breath) and training your brain to be more mindful long after you're done meditating. When you're exhibiting mindfulness, you're fully engrossed in whatever's going on around you.

But being engaged 100% doesn't come easy, especially in our world of distractions.

It means actively listening and not zoning out (even a little) when your co-worker tells the same story for the third time, it means using all your senses in even mundane situations like washing the dishes or walking to the bus stop.

Mindfulness has roots in Buddhist philosophy and religion, and is considered very important for the path to enlightenment.

•  Practicing mindfulness improves both mental and physical health.
• Mindfulness involves both concentration (a form of meditation) and acceptance. 
• Deliberately pay attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment.
• It takes practice to become comfortable with mindfulness techniques. If one method doesn’t work for you, try another.

Mindfulness improves well-being

• Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life.
• Being mindful makes it easier to savour the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.
• By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.

Mindfulness improves physical health

If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered the benefits of mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can:

• Help relieve stress
• Treat heart disease
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce chronic pain
• Improve sleep
• Alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties

Mindfulness improves mental health

In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including:

• Depression
• Substance abuse
• Eating disorders
• Couples’ conflicts
• Anxiety disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Some experts believe that mindfulness works, in part, by helping people to accept their experiences—including painful emotions—rather than react to them with aversion and avoidance.

It’s become increasingly common for mindfulness meditation to be combined with psychotherapy, especially Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This development makes good sense, since both meditation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy share the common goal of helping people gain perspective on irrational, maladaptive, and self-defeating thoughts.

Mindfulness Techniques         

There is more than one way to practice mindfulness, but the goal of any mindfulness technique is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation by deliberately paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment. This allows the mind to refocus on the present moment. All mindfulness techniques are a form of meditation.        

Basic mindfulness meditation – Sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or “mantra” that you repeat silently. Allow thoughts to come and go without judgment and return to your focus on breath or mantra.      

Body sensations – Notice subtle body sensations such as an itch or tingling without judgment and let them pass. Notice each part of your body in succession from head to toe.

Sensory – Notice sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. Name them “sight,” “sound,” “smell,” “taste,” or “touch” without judgment and let them go.      

Emotions – Allow emotions to be present without judgment. Practice a steady and relaxed naming of emotions: “joy,” “anger,” “frustration.”

Accept the presence of the emotions without judgment and let them go.           

Urge surfing – Cope with cravings (for addictive substances or behaviours) and allow them to pass. Notice how your body feels as the craving enters. Replace the wish for the craving to go away with the certain knowledge that it will subside.

If you are interested in learning more techniques to help you in life, don't hesitate to contact Sam at Therapy For Life in Southend-on-sea