We have a lot on our plates these days. With growing emphasis on achievements, a rush to steer ahead in life, and wanting to achieve one goal after another, life runs fast. It’s as if we are striving for happiness and prosperity in the future while neglecting the present. Although many of us are more prosperous and resourceful now than ever, the sense of calm, happiness, and peace still eludes. At the same time, issues such as stress, anxiety, and other issues have become as common as the common cold. If you think about calm, peaceful, and happy beings, kids and Buddhist monks might come to mind. Although these two groups of beings are very different from one another, they have one thing in common, which is they stay in the present. This act of focusing on the present moment without worrying about the future or feeling stuck in the past is called mindfulness. It has many benefits.
What Is Mindfulness?
It’s pretty straightforward. As the term suggests, mindfulness means putting all your focus on the present, on what you are doing, feeling, or things and people around you. It appears quite simple, but it’s not. More than often, your mind tends to sail through to distant lands leaving little attention on the thing at hand.
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Benefits Of Mindfulness
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It isn’t easy to be mindful all the time. However, if you put in that effort, you’ll not enjoy the happiness of the present, but also enjoy its several benefits, such as:
Stress & Anxiety
Mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a technique that incorporates mindfulness and yoga, is often employed for stress management. Not just that, research suggests, it is also useful in reducing the feeling of anxiety.
Depression
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the techniques employed for depression treatment. Mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy (MBCT) is a technique developed by combining CBT and MBSR, as per a leading health website. Research has suggested that MBCT can help a person both with depression and its symptoms. Hence, practicing mindfulness can help with depression and its symptoms to some extent.
Improved Memory
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Yes, this is something that largely concerns the elderly. However, the next time you forget to set the alarm, or can’t remember where you left your glasses, you might realise what annoyance such memory-related issues can cause. Gladly, mindfulness might help you with that too. A 2019 study involved a group of people taking mindfulness classes. At the end of it, they showed improved memory. Hence, this is another reason why you should cultivate mindfulness in your everyday life.
Better Cognition
One of the aspects of mindfulness is paying attention to your thoughts. This entails no judgment on what you are thinking. It might help you think more clearly. Mindfulness might help you with better overall cognition, as per a leading health website.
Managing Emotions
Apart from what you are doing and thinking, you also focus on how you are feeling while practicing mindfulness. This might help you to both understand your emotions better and manage them. This can help a lot especially those with anger issues or who spiral into sadness quickly. Mindfulness has been shown to help with emotional regulation, which improves a person’s day-to-day life as well mental well-being.
Also read: 5 Ways You Can Practise Mindfulness
These are some of the benefits you reap when you practice mindfulness. Also, it has a positive impact on your mental health, it tends to benefit you physically as well. It is because mental and physical health isn’t distinct and have an impact on one another.
So next time, your mind wanders to faraway lands, bring it back to the thing you are doing, thoughts going on in your mind, and what you are feeling. Focus on the present and enjoy what is happening right now instead of being in the past or the future. Not only will it bring calmness to your mind, but it will also provide you with the above-mentioned benefits.
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