“Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It is … receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.”
— Sylvia Boorstein
Mindfulness is a remarkably simple thing. Ironically, the hardest thing about it is remembering to practice it. Mindfulness is basically just acknowledging your current state without trying to alter it in any way. Why practice mindfulness, you ask? Well, the benefits of it are seemingly endless. Here are just a few.
1. It Reduces Stress
The practice of mindfulness meditation has been proven to lessen stress and anxiety amongst practitioners. Don’t believe us? Check out the numerous studies that say ‘truth!’
2. Mindfulness Can Improve Physical Health
Scientists have discovered that practicing mindfulness can help lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain and even treat heart disease.
3. It Can Help Us Get to Know Ourselves
It’s true. A study in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science shows that mindfulness can shed light on certain areas of ourselves that we are unaware exist, thus helping us to grow.
4. Practicing Mindfulness Can Improve Sleep
Say no more, we’re in. But just in case you’re curious, mindfulness practice helps to decrease thought activity, allowing us to fall asleep easier.
5. It Can Help Us to Focus Better
In an eight-week study performed by Harvard University, participants who practiced mindfulness throughout the study were significantly better at concentrating by the end of it than those who did not.
What has been the biggest benefit you’ve discovered from practicing mindfulness? Let us know on Facebook!
