No one enjoys dealing with feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness, or frustration. Yet, more often than not, people try to drown out and ignore these feelings.
According to in-depth research, denying your feelings may make them stronger and negatively impact your mental and overall physical health.
A healthy and incredible way of dealing with your feelings is by practicing mindfulness. So let us take a closer look at how mindfulness and meditation exercises positively affect our lives:
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness refers to an essential human ability to be fully aware and present what we’re doing, where we are, and not being overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
Although mindfulness is an ability most of us posses naturally, we should still consider practicing it every day. By bringing awareness to your direct experiences via your senses, state of mind, thoughts, and emotions, you can be mindful.
In addition, multiple researches show that training your brain to be mindful helps remodel the physical structure of your brain.
What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?
Mindfulness originates from Buddhism; however, almost every religion boasts some form of prayer or meditation technique. These practices are meant to shift your thoughts from your day-to-day preoccupations towards a broader perspective on life.
Here we discuss the many benefits of practicing mindfulness:
Helps Improve Well-Being
Enhancing your capacity for mindfulness helps support life attitudes that contribute to a happier, content life. Practicing mindfulness helps savor all the little pleasures in life.
In fact, being mindful helps you enjoy activities to the fullest and create a greater capacity for dealing with negative emotions and events.
Furthermore, focusing on the present reduces the stress and worry of the future and past. As a result, those who meditate arerelatively less likely to suffer from concerns about self-esteem and success while enjoy forming deep connections with others.
Helps Expedite Physical Health
According to an in-depth study, mindfulness techniques are linked with better physical health. In fact, mindfulness can treat certain heart diseases, reduce chronic pain, lower blood pressure, and relieve gastrointestinal difficulties.
It’s also known to help relieve stress, as well as improve the quality of your sleep.
Helps Enhance Mental Health
In the past couple of months, an increasing number of psychotherapists are turning to mindfulness meditation as an essential element for treating various mental health issues. It can help treat;
- Substance abuse
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Couple’s conflicts
- Anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
What are the Top Mindfulness Exercises?
There are several different easy ways you can practice mindfulness. Let’s discuss some of the top examples:
Pay Attention
With your busy day-to-day schedule, it can be difficult for you to slow down and notice the beauty of life. Try to take some time to experience all your senses; touch, sound, smell, taste, and sight.
Living in the Moment
Try to incorporate an open and accepting attention to everything you do. Seek joy in all the simple pleasures of life.
Accept Yourself
Learn to treat yourself the way you treat your friends and loved ones.
To Sum it Up
The deep breathing technique helps relax your nervous system and focus on the present. Try out some of the above-mentioned mindfulness exercises to alleviate the day-to-day stress of life.
Sources
https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm
https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/g32267191/mindfulness-activities/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
