April is Stress Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the negative impact of stress on mental and physical well-being. With stress being a universal problem that can lead to concerning health issues, it’s essential to explore techniques that can help alleviate its effects. One such technique is mindfulness, a practice of non-judgmental self-awareness that can help calm thoughts affecting stress responses.
How Mindfulness Alters Brain Patterns
Neuroplasticity is the phenomenon that causes changes in our brain through behaviors and experiences. Frequent and sustained mindfulness practice may rewire the brain, leading to a better quality of life with improved memory and attention. Mindfulness positively impacts areas of the brain associated with stress response, emotional regulation, compassion, empathy, learning, and memory. Meditation can bring about the growth of grey matter in the brain in areas involved in emotional regulation.
Mindfulness Meditation for Stress and Anxiety Reduction
Mindful meditation is a type of meditation that involves paying attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way. It can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mental clarity and focus, and help individuals develop greater emotional intelligence. Incorporating mindfulness meditation into your daily routine can be a powerful way to reduce stress and improve mental clarity. To practice mindful meditation, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit, set a timer, focus on your breath, and gently bring your mind back to your breath when it wanders.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as an Alternative Treatment for Anxiety
Anxiety is a common psychiatric disorder affecting over 301 million people worldwide. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and pharmaceutical drugs are effective treatments for anxiety, they have limitations. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an alternative treatment for anxiety sufferers. MBSR involves meditation practices to help people pay attention to the present moment and accept whatever sensations, thoughts, and feelings arise without judgment. A study showed that MBSR may work as well as the anti-anxiety drug Lexapro for people with anxiety, with fewer problematic side effects.
Mindfulness and Wellbeing in Education
Mindfulness presents an effective coping technique, enhancing well-being by decreasing depressive symptoms and anger. The person practicing mindfulness perceives their thoughts non-judgmentally and will be more functionally adaptive. Mindfulness can improve educational performance by enhancing inter/intra-personal intelligence and increasing concentration, memory, and attention.
Mindfulness-based interventions have been found to significantly reduce college students’ anxiety. Mindfulness is related to cognitive reappraisal, wisdom, appreciation of important things, and ignorance of traumatic experiences in life. It presents an adaptive approach and a coping method associated with improved student development.