Restlessness, broken sleep, a weakened immune system, trouble focusing, a sense of having lost control: these are some of the ways the pressure of modern life shows up in the body. Stress, anxiety and low mood are common companions to a busy, fast-moving world. Encouragingly, mindfulness-based approaches have been shown in clinical studies to ease stress, support overall health, and help people manage pain and chronic illness.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the skill of paying attention to what is happening in the present moment, with a fuller awareness of your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations, held with openness and curiosity rather than judgement.
The idea is simple. The skill is in returning to the present again and again, gently, each time the mind wanders off into worry about the future or rumination about the past.
The evidence
Two of the best-studied mindfulness programmes are Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). MBCT in particular has strong evidence for helping to prevent depression from returning. These approaches pair mindfulness practice with an understanding of stress physiology and the way our thoughts shape how we feel.
How it helps
With practice, mindfulness can help you to:
- Notice the early signs of stress in your body before they build
- Create a small pause between a difficult feeling and how you respond to it
- Step back from spirals of anxious or self-critical thinking
- Bring more steadiness, balance and self-compassion into daily life
You do not need anything special to begin. A few minutes a day of paying gentle attention to your breath is a real start. If you would like guidance, a mindfulness-based therapist can help you build a practice that fits your life.
If any of this rings true, it's worth a conversation.