June 2025 - Sweetpotato Speak

MINDFULLNESS CONTINUED

Here are some of the benefits linked to mindfulness: Improved attitude, confidence and well-being. Mindfulness can help individuals learn to appreciate the present moment, develop gratitude, and find joy in everyday experiences. Better mental and psychological health, such as increased mood, decreased stress and a reduced rate of depression. Better focus , attention and memory: regular mindfulness practice can enhance attention and concentration skills. Studies have shown that mindfulness training can improve working memory and cognitive flexibility as well. Improved physical health - research also suggests that mindfulness can help relieve symptoms for various different health conditions. Mindfulness practices have been linked to improvements in blood pressure, lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Type 2 diabetes, and fibromyalgia. Emotional regulation - Mindfulness is linked to having a better ability to exert control over emotions, both good and bad. This is also linked to stress. Better sleep - low sleep duration is linked to several chronic diseases. By improving sleep duration and quality, mindfulness and meditation may indirectly improve health in this way also. Chronic stress is a significant problem for many adults that can contribute to a variety of health problems, including an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Chronic stress can also impair the body's immune system and worsen other health problems. By lowering the stress response, mindfulness may have downstream effects throughout the body, indirectly improving health. Meditation and mindfulness can also benefit physical health by reducing the amount of strain on the heart. High blood pressure is a risk factor for poor heart function, as it makes the heart work harder to pump blood. It can also narrow the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Hence, by minimizing how hard the heart has to work, meditation may improve heart health.

The good news is that you don’t have to do mindfulness perfectly to reap the benefits. How to get started: You don’t need anything fancy to start - just find a quiet place, sitting or laying down, and focus on your breath. Thoughts will pop into your head - and that’s okay - acknowledge them without judgment, and return to your breath. Experts acknowledge that it will be difficult in the beginning, but this habit will become easier over time and with more practice. There are also several apps available that provide mindfulness meditation options, such as Calm, Headspace, Personal Zen and MindFi. SOURCES Bai Z, Chang J, Chen C, Li P, Yang K, Chi I. Investigating the effect of transcendental meditation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hum Hypertens. 2015 Nov;29(11):653-62. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2015.6. Epub 2015 Feb 12. PMID: 25673114. Cash E, Salmon P, Weissbecker I, Rebholz WN, Bayley Veloso R, Zimmaro LA, Floyd A, Dedert E, Sephton SE. Mindfulness meditation alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms in women: results of a randomized clinical trial. Ann Behav Med. 2015 Jun;49(3):319-30. doi: 10.1007/s12160-014 9665-0. PMID: 25425224; PMCID: PMC4802162. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-mindfulness 5205137 You can also do body scans and listeing meditations. You can also find mindfulness classes and meditations available online.

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