tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/mindfulness-health-benefits-98080/articlesMindfulness health benefits – The Conversation2023-01-12T13:22:40Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1952762023-01-12T13:22:40Z2023-01-12T13:22:40ZMeditation and mindfulness offer an abundance of health benefits and may be as effective as medication for treating certain conditions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/503183/original/file-20230105-12-ywtjr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People of any age or walk of life can access and benefit from meditation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-multiracial-latina-woman-meditating-at-home-royalty-free-image/1394449576?phrase=mindfulness%20meditation&adppopup=true">Daniel de la Hoz/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many people look to diet trends or new exercise regimens – often with questionable benefit – to get a healthier start on the new year. But there is one strategy that’s been shown time and again to boost both mood and health: meditation.</p>
<p>In late 2022, a <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3679">high-profile study</a> made a splash when it claimed that meditation may work as well as a common drug named Lexapro for the treatment of anxiety. Over the past couple of decades, similar evidence has emerged about mindfulness and meditation’s broad array of health benefits, for purposes ranging from stress and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9844-2">pain reduction</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008">depression treatments</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006">boosting brain health</a> and helping to manage excessive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3523432">inflammation and long COVID-19</a>. </p>
<p>Despite the mounting body of evidence showing the health benefits of meditation, it can be hard to weigh the science and to know how robust it is.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S9ykvZUAAAAJ&hl=en">neuroscientist studying the effects of stress and trauma</a> on <a href="https://theconversation.com/meditation-holds-the-potential-to-help-treat-children-suffering-from-traumas-difficult-diagnoses-or-other-stressors-a-behavioral-neuroscientist-explains-189037">brain development in children and adolescents</a>. I also study how mindfulness, meditation and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796">exercise</a> can positively affect brain development and mental health in youth. </p>
<p>I am very excited about how meditation can be used as a tool to provide powerful new insights into the ways the mind and brain work, and to fundamentally change a person’s outlook on life. And as a mental health researcher, I see the promise of meditation as a low- or no-cost, evidence-based tool to improve health that can be relatively easily integrated into daily life. </p>
<p>Meditation requires some training, discipline and practice – which are not always easy to come by. But with some specific tools and strategies, it can be accessible to everyone.</p>
<h2>What are mindfulness and meditation?</h2>
<p>There are many different types of meditation, and mindfulness is one of the most common. Fundamentally, mindfulness is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-give-the-gift-of-mindfulness-this-new-year-195711">mental state</a> that, according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.149.7.936">Jon Kabat-Zinn</a> a renowned expert in mindfulness-based practices, involves “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” </p>
<p>This means not ruminating about something that happened in the past or worrying about that to-do list. Being focused on the present, or living in the moment, has been shown to have a broad array of benefits, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00677">elevating mood, reducing anxiety</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0163-8343(82)90026-3">lessening pain</a> and potentially improving <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-021-09519-y">cognitive performance</a>. </p>
<p>Mindfulness is a skill that can be practiced and cultivated over time. The goal is that, with repetition, the benefits of practicing mindfulness carry over into everyday life – when you aren’t actively meditating. For example, if you learn that you aren’t defined by an emotion that arises transiently, like anger, then it may be harder to stay angry for long. </p>
<p>The health benefits of meditation and other strategies aimed at stress reduction are thought to stem from increasing levels of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2015.7">overall mindfulness</a> through practice. Elements of mindfulness are also present in practices like yoga, martial arts and dance that require focusing attention and discipline.</p>
<p>The vast body of evidence supporting the health benefits of meditation is too expansive to cover exhaustively. But the studies I reference below represent some of the top tier, or the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88555-1_2">highest-quality and most rigorous summaries</a> of scientific data on the topic to date. Many of these include systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which synthesize many studies on a given topic. </p>
<h2>Stress and mental health</h2>
<p>Mindfulness-based programs have been shown to significantly reduce stress in a variety of populations, ranging from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/01640275211043486">caregivers of people living with dementia</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12307">children during the COVID-19 pandemic</a>. </p>
<p>Meta-analyses published during the pandemic show that mindfulness programs are effective for reducing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3138">symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2022.100712">obsessive-compulsive disorder</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.048">attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2021.0036">depression</a> – including the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-4-in-5-pregnancy-related-deaths-are-preventable-in-the-us-and-mental-health-is-the-leading-cause-193909">particularly vulnerable time</a> during <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12441">pregnancy and the postnatal period</a>. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">In addition to improving mood and lowering stress, mindfulness has been shown to elevate cognitive performance, cut down on mind wandering and distractibility and increase emotional intelligence.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Mindfulness-based programs also show promise as a treatment option for anxiety disorders, which are the most common mental disorders, affecting an estimated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00395-3">301 million people globally</a>. While effective treatments for anxiety exist, many patients do not have access to them because they lack insurance coverage or transportation to providers, for instance, or they may experience only limited relief.</p>
<p>It’s important to note, however, that for those affected by mental or substance use disorders, mindfulness-based approaches should not replace first-line treatments like medicine and psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Mindfulness strategies should be seen as a supplement to these evidence-based treatments and a complement to healthy lifestyle interventions like physical activity and healthy eating. </p>
<h2>How does meditation work? A look into the brain</h2>
<p>Studies show that regular meditators experience better attention control and improved control of heart rate, breathing and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.0707678104">autonomic nervous system functioning</a>, which regulates involuntary responses in the body, such as blood pressure. Research also shows that people who meditate have
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707678104">lower levels of cortisol</a> – a hormone involved in the stress response – than those who don’t. </p>
<p>A recent systematic review of neuroimaging studies showed that focused attention meditation is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104846">functional changes in several brain regions</a> involved in cognitive control and emotion-related processing. The review also found that more experienced meditators had stronger activation of the brain regions involved in those cognitive and emotional processes, suggesting that the brain benefits improve with more practice. </p>
<p>A regular meditation practice may also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19">stave off age-related thinning of the cerebral cortex</a>, which may help to protect against age-related disease and cognitive impairment. </p>
<h2>Limitations of meditation research</h2>
<p>This research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100620">does have limits</a>. These include a lack of a consistent definition for the types of programs used, and a lack of rigorously controlled studies. In gold-standard randomized controlled trials with medications, study participants don’t know whether they are getting the active drug or a placebo. </p>
<p>In contrast, in trials of mindfulness-based interventions, participants know what condition they are assigned to and are not “blinded,” so they may expect that some of the health benefits may happen to them. This creates a sense of expectancy, which can be a confounding variable in studies. Many meditation studies also don’t frequently include a control group, which is needed to assess how it compares with other treatments.</p>
<h2>Benefits and wider applications</h2>
<p>Compared with medications, mindfulness-based programs may be more easily accessible and have fewer negative side effects. However, medication and psychotherapy – <a href="https://theconversation.com/cbt-dbt-psychodynamic-what-type-of-therapy-is-right-for-me-171101">particularly cognitive behavioral therapy</a> – work well for many, and a combination approach may be best. Mindfulness-based interventions are also cost-effective and have better health outcomes than usual care, particularly among <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01960-1">high-risk patient populations</a> – so there are economic benefits as well.</p>
<p>Researchers are studying ways to deliver mindfulness tools on a computer or smartphone app, or with virtual reality, which may be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.001">more effective</a> than conventional in-person meditation training. </p>
<p>Importantly, mindfulness is not just for those with physical or mental health diagnoses. Anyone can use these strategies to reduce the risk of disease and to take advantage of the health benefits in everyday life, such as improved sleep and cognitive performance, elevated mood and lowered stress and anxiety. </p>
<h2>Where to get started?</h2>
<p>Many recreation centers, fitness studios and even universities offer in-person meditation classes. For those looking to see if meditation can help with the treatment of a physical or mental condition, there are over 600 <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=mindfulness+OR+meditation&Search=Apply&recrs=a&age_v=&gndr=&type=&rslt=">clinical trials</a> currently recruiting participants for various conditions, such as pain, cancer and depression. </p>
<p>If you want to try meditation from the comfort of your home, there are many free online videos on how to practice, including meditations for sleep, stress reduction, mindful eating and more. Several apps, such as Headspace, appear promising, with randomized controlled trials <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/40924">showing benefits for users</a>. </p>
<p>The hardest part is, of course, getting started. However, if you set an alarm to practice every day, it will become a habit and may even translate into everyday life – which is the ultimate goal. For some, this may take some time and practice, and for others, this may start to happen pretty quickly. Even a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01163-1">single five-minute session</a> can have positive health effects.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195276/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hilary A. Marusak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mindfulness, one of the most common forms of meditation, is a skill that must be cultivated and practiced. With some training and discipline, it can help anyone live more fully in the moment.Hilary A. Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1662642021-08-26T18:11:55Z2021-08-26T18:11:55ZHow online mindfulness training can help students thrive during the pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417747/original/file-20210825-21-6kfpad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4145%2C2752&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/MAGAXAYq_NE">Victoria Heath/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>COVID-19 is reasserting itself, with the Delta variant posing a <a href="https://theconversation.com/younger-adults-can-get-very-sick-and-die-from-covid-too-heres-what-the-data-tell-us-165250">serious threat to young people</a>. The pandemic has made physical distancing an inescapable new reality of post-secondary education as universities <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-killed-the-on-campus-lecture-but-will-unis-raise-it-from-the-dead-152971">continue to deliver courses online</a>. Our <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amle.2020.0316">research</a> shows mindfulness training can also be effective when delivered online, bringing benefits previously unknown to science.</p>
<p>One year into the pandemic, students are showing signs of wear. The <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/student-experience-survey-(ses)#latest">2020 Student Experience Survey</a> shows post-secondary students’ engagement with learning has dropped. Responses indicated they were 4% more likely to drop out due to stress or health concerns. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stressed-out-dropping-out-covid-has-taken-its-toll-on-uni-students-152004">Stressed out, dropping out: COVID has taken its toll on uni students</a>
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<p>Universities thus face a pressing need to help their students cope. Fortunately, a promising new resource is available: online mindfulness training.</p>
<p>Mindfulness is the process of focusing attention and awareness on present moment experience with an open, curious and accepting attitude. It’s usually taught in person. However, given the advantages of online delivery in a pandemic, the popularity of <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2020/04/04/with-millions-stuck-at-home-the-online-wellness-industry-is-booming">online mindfulness training has boomed</a>.</p>
<h2>What did the study find?</h2>
<p>In recent decades, a mountain of research has shown mindfulness is broadly effective for relieving symptoms of psychological suffering like anxiety, depression and stress. However, our <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amle.2020.0316">study</a>, published in the journal Academy of Management Learning & Education, shows online mindfulness training can do more than alleviate such symptoms. It can help students flourish.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The University of Massachusetts Medical School presents a brief overview of 30 years of research on mindfulness-based stress reduction.</span></figcaption>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mindfulness-meditation-in-brief-daily-doses-can-reduce-negative-mental-health-impact-of-covid-19-165163">Mindfulness meditation in brief daily doses can reduce negative mental health impact of COVID-19</a>
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<p>We examined the effects of online mindfulness training on the psychological well-being of 227 graduate students. Half of them took part in a free, evidence-based <a href="https://palousemindfulness.com/">online program</a>. It involved 30 minutes a day of mindfulness meditation, five days a week, for eight weeks. </p>
<p>As a placebo control, the other half took part in an equal amount of training also known to promote health and well-being: physical exercise.</p>
<p>The psychological well-being of students in both groups improved. These gains were indicated by criteria like self-acceptance, personal growth, meaning and purpose in life, and positive relationships with others. </p>
<p>However, online mindfulness training had a distinct benefit. It improved psychological well-being by helping students cultivate authenticity.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">An introduction to the free online mindfulness-based stress reduction course by Palouse Mindfulness.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>What is authenticity?</h2>
<p>Authenticity is one of the most powerful indicators of psychological health. Authentic individuals are self-aware, meaning they are in touch with their thoughts and emotions. They act in accordance with their values and beliefs.</p>
<p>Our findings echo Socratic exhortations to “know thyself” and Shakespearean admonishments “to thine own self be true”. Educators have long <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aDisCBaK94">extolled the benefits of authenticity</a> for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6FdIVZJfzg&t=23s">character and leadership</a>. However, they have lacked evidence-based practical methods to help guide their students on how to become more authentic – until now.</p>
<p>This study revealed that online mindfulness training helped students develop authenticity. It did so primarily by heightening their self-awareness and secondarily by helping them align their actions with their values.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-true-self-81817">Is there such a thing as a 'true self'?</a>
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<h2>Some students benefit more than others</h2>
<p>While these findings are promising, the benefits were not the same for all students. Online mindfulness training improved the authenticity of nearly 60% of students but not others (although they still gained other well-being benefits).</p>
<p>What was the difference? The answer lies in personality. </p>
<p>Every educator knows personality has important implications for student performance. Similarly, every psychologist knows the single most important dimension of personality for student performance is “conscientiousness”. Highly conscientious students perform better because they show self-discipline, attention to detail, reliability, thoughtfulness and persistent hard work.</p>
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<img alt="compass on a paper napkin with the written words 'Do what is right, not what is easy'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417749/original/file-20210825-25-19yw4kz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Conscientious students benefited most from online mindfulness training in terms of authenticity – acting in accordance with their values and beliefs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/do-what-right-not-easy-advice-725558227">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>We reasoned that conscientiousness would be even more important in an online learning environment where students don’t have access to the dedicated learning space and shelter from distractions that classrooms can provide.</p>
<p>Results supported our reasoning: only highly conscientious students benefited from online mindfulness training in terms of authenticity and the psychological well-being that flows from it. Even though students who were low in conscientiousness undertook a similar amount of training, they did not develop in authenticity. In other words, conscientiousness appears to have improved the quality of online mindfulness training.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/understanding-emotions-is-nearly-as-important-as-iq-for-students-academic-success-131212">Understanding emotions is nearly as important as IQ for students' academic success</a>
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<h2>It’s not a cure-all for student well-being</h2>
<p>This study is the first to show that, despite the advantages of online mindfulness training for helping students cultivate authenticity and thereby flourish in a remote learning environment, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.</p>
<p>As the impacts of the pandemic stretch universities financially and educators struggle to respond with innovative content for engaging and effective online delivery, this research offers timely evidence for incorporating online mindfulness training into higher education. </p>
<p>However, these findings also serve to caution educators not to view online mindfulness training as a panacea for student well-being. Instead, it should be seen as one part – albeit a promising one – of a broader strategy for helping students cope with the psychological consequences of physically distanced education in a time of COVID-19.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166264/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam Austen Kay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research shows mindfulness training can be effective when delivered online. The benefits for university students included one particularly notable development for well-being.Adam Austen Kay, Lecturer, School of Business, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1516542021-01-05T13:08:06Z2021-01-05T13:08:06ZHow kids can benefit from mindfulness training<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376064/original/file-20201220-17-5craj3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5751%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For both children and adults, practicing mindfulness can improve brain function and enhance the immune system.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/pupils-meditating-in-lotus-position-on-desk-royalty-free-image/469970618?adppopup=true">Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Now that 2021 is here, many are looking for new ways to manage stress. Although mindfulness and meditation are not new – there is evidence suggesting that humans have been practicing meditation for more than <a href="https://liveanddare.com/history-of-meditation">5,000 years</a> – many are turning to these techniques to improve overall well-being. Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to what’s happening now in the present moment, in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner. There are mindfulness apps for managing stress, anxiety, chronic pain, weight loss, better sleep and quitting smoking. </p>
<p>Mindfulness and meditation are also a part of mind-body activities and exercises such as martial arts, breathing exercises and yoga, and are integrated into evidence-based clinical treatments for chronic pain, anxiety and depression. And for good reason. Researchers have found that practicing mindfulness and meditation can improve your <a href="https://doi.org/%2010.1097/01.psy.0000077505.67574.e3">immune system</a>, lower <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-014-9575-4">blood pressure</a> and even change brain <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.03.016">structure</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.021">function</a>. </p>
<p>Almost all of the research has been done in adults, but recent studies suggest that mindfulness and meditation can also be beneficial for children and teens. As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S9ykvZUAAAAJ&hl=en">developmental neuroscientist</a>, I have been interested in studying how mindfulness affects the brain in children and teens because the brain is still developing. </p>
<p>I believe that mindfulness and meditation may be especially beneficial for children and teens because these skills may strengthen brain circuits that control the ability to focus and concentrate and to regulate emotions, which are maturing during this time. Establishing these habits early in life may also set the stage for good habits later in life.</p>
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<img alt="A man who is meditating." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/376065/original/file-20201220-57996-19ikggh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Meditation costs nothing and can be done almost anywhere.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/moment-of-serenity-royalty-free-image/1164161587?adppopup=true">electravk via Getty Images</a></span>
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<h2>What is mindfulness?</h2>
<p>Mindfulness is a mental capacity that differs among individuals, which means that some people are more naturally mindful that others. Mindfulness can also be strengthened through practice, and many types of mindfulness training programs have sprouted in recent years. Techniques that include mindfulness are often a part of established <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005">clinical treatments</a> for a variety of health problems, including depression, chronic pain and addiction. </p>
<p>Some mindfulness practices have you simply notice your thoughts, feelings and sensations, like focusing on your breath. You can try this now – your attention might go to the tip of your nose or the sensation of your chest rising and falling. </p>
<p>You are not being mindful when you are lost in thought or when your mind is wandering. The tendency for your mind to wander, or to lose focus on the present moment, appears to be a “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2011.00056">default mode</a>” of brain functioning and can be beneficial. If used correctly, mind-wandering can spark <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612446024">creativity</a>
and help you <a href="https://doi.org/0.3389/fnhum.2013.00571">understand what others are thinking</a>. </p>
<p>However, mind-wandering can go awry, and this can be bad for your health. Some types of mind-wandering – like excessive worry, focus on negative things or ruminating on the past – are linked to mental disorders, including anxiety, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21071660/">research study</a> used a phone app to ping over 2,000 people throughout the day and found that their mind was wandering almost half of the time and also that people were less happy when their minds were wandering than when they were not. So techniques that can help you stay focused on the present moment, like mindfulness, may actually make you happier. </p>
<p>Mindfulness can also help reduce distraction. Kids, just like adults, can become distracted. This can interfere with their ability to do schoolwork, to manage relationships with friends or family, or to effectively regulate their emotions. This is an even bigger problem in today’s fast-paced world with distractions all around. It may be even harder to stay focused while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QTsUEOUaWpY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Mindfulness is gaining in popularity for kids and adults.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Effects of mindfulness on the developing brain</h2>
<p>Research on the potential benefits of mindfulness and meditation has exploded over the past several decades. In the 1970s there were only a handful of studies each year, and now, on average, more than seven studies are published <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=mindfulness&sort=date">every day</a>. </p>
<p>Thanks in part to advances in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2008.11.001">brain imaging</a>, neuroscientists have begun to understand how mindfulness and meditation can affect the brain. </p>
<p>My research team and I wanted to better understand mindfulness in kids. We conducted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2017.09.010">a study</a> to examine how mindfulness relates to brain connectivity in children and adolescents by scanning the brains of 42 7- to 17-year-olds using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We also measured their degree of “trait mindfulness,” which measures how naturally mindful they are. </p>
<p>More mindful children are better able to act with awareness and to observe and accept their internal experiences without judging them. We found that more mindful youth reported lower anxiety levels, and that their brains more frequently transitioned between different connectivity states throughout the scan.</p>
<p>This means that the more mindful children in the study were more able to flexibly shift in and out of different brain states throughout the course of the scan. Also, the more flexible their brains were, the less anxiety they reported. These brain states were associated with different patterns of connectivity between brain networks involved in mind wandering, attention and emotion processing. </p>
<p>More brain flexibility may help explain some of the positive reported benefits of mindfulness training in children and adolescents. Research shows that mindfulness is linked to lower stress and anxiety, and improvements in self-control, attention, resilience and better academic performance in <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00603">youth</a>. Mindfulness-based therapies have also shown to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12980">effective for treating</a> common childhood disorders like anxiety, which affects around one in three, and ADHD, which affects about one in 10 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.05.017">children and teens</a>. We have <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S283364">recently shown</a> that a martial arts-based therapy that integrates mindfulness and meditation techniques can help children with cancer and other chronic conditions cope with pain and emotional distress. </p>
<h2>Mindfulness goes to school</h2>
<p>Many schools have adopted mindfulness programs as a way to help students better recognize their thoughts and emotions and to better understand how these thoughts and emotions influence their actions. Schools that have implemented mindfulness programs frequently report better <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00603">cognitive performance, lower stress</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9784-4">improved classroom behavior</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038454">better social skills and even better math grades</a> among their students. Mindfulness may also help students cope with the negative effects of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.07.040">bullying</a>. Mindfulness-based schools programs can improve student mental health while improving overall academic performance. </p>
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<p>This new year, give mindfulness a shot – even if it’s just once. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsz104">One study</a> found that a brief 30-minute introduction to mindfulness was able to lower pain and negative emotions in a group of 17 people who had never tried meditation before. There are also simple mindfulness exercises for <a href="https://psychcentral.com/blog/1-minute-mindfulness-exercises">adults</a> and kids of all ages that you can try <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/">at home</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151654/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hilary Marusak is funded, in part, by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health. </span></em></p>Many adults have benefited from mindfulness in recent years. Could the practice also benefit children? A researcher looked at that and found promising results.Hilary A. Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.