7 Key Health Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness

In recent years, mindfulness has transitioned from yogis-only jargon into a household buzzword.

As the marketplace fills with meditation apps designed to help us find our Zen and rediscover our inner voice, people all over the world are prioritizing quiet time like never before.

Yet, what are the actual health benefits of mindfulness?

When we take time to sit in silence and notice everything around us, how are we benefiting ourselves physically and emotionally? Read on to learn seven ways this practice strengthens you from the inside out.

1. More Restful Sleep

Millions of people suffer from sleep disturbances that keep them tossing and turning at night. Yet, one study of 49 middle-aged and older adults reveals that mindfulness meditation can help.

Sleep Education vs. Mindfulness Training

All of the adults in this study had difficulty going to sleep or staying to sleep. One group conducted six weeks of mindfulness exercises while the other group completed a sleep education class. In the end, the mindfulness group reported less insomnia, fatigue, and depression.

The takeaway? Taking time to silence your spinning thoughts and put your to-do list to bed can help you ease into your slumber and stay that way.

2. Lower Stress Levels

We're stretched thinner than ever before, and that mental overload can have a direct effect on our physical health.

From headaches to chest pain, there are myriad symptoms that could arise when our stress levels peak. In addition to making it more difficult to fall asleep, heightened stress can also take a toll on our:

• Skin
• Digestion
• Libido
• General mood

This is where mindfulness can make a major difference. Research shows that mindfulness meditation programs can help alleviate both stress and distress. The practice can also help lower your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

When you become more aware of your thoughts, your mind switches from "doing" to "being". Your care and compassion levels rise, your ability for gratitude increases, and you're able to take a more long-term perspective that helps you see past a stressful situation.

3. Lower Blood Pressure

Do you suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension?

If so, researchers have found that mindfulness training has the potential to significantly reduce your blood pressure and improve your quality of life.

MB-BP Program Findings

In one recent study, participants suffering from hypertension entered into a Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) program designed to gauge the effects of the practice on their physical health.

Not only did mindfulness help lower their blood pressure levels, but at their one-year follow-ups, those levels had remained steady. To truly see the effects of this practice on your cardiovascular health, be sure to combine it with the healthy habits your doctor ordered, as well as any medications you're currently taking.

4. Easier Weight Loss

While focusing on the present isn't quite enough to help you shed those few pounds, it can make your overall weight loss regimen more effective.

How?

It's long been known that this process isn't purely physical. There is also an important mental component required to navigate the strategies of eating well and staying on track. Mindfulness can help keep you aware of what you're putting into your body, which is especially helpful if you tend to stress-eat.

5. Improved Attention Span

Experts reveal that we now have an attention span that's shorter than that of a goldfish.

Do you want to reverse this trend and remain engaged for longer? If so, engaging in daily mindfulness training can help you get there. In addition to helping you pay closer attention, it can also improve:

• Working memory
• Your concentration skills
• Executive functioning

6. Chronic Pain Management

It's estimated that around the world, one in five people lives with chronic pain. Collectively, that equals a staggering 1.5 billion people. If you're one of them, there are many factors that could contribute to your medical condition, from a cancer diagnosis to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

While medications have long been the go-to route for sufferers, there has been increased interest in a more holistic way of healing. One of the latest approaches to gain steam is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR.

This type of therapy, which combines mindfulness meditation with yoga, has been found to help improve pain levels, anxiety, and overall wellbeing in patients who grapple with chronic pain.

7. Reduced Anxiety

Want to experience one of the most immediate results of a mindfulness session? After just one time, most people see a significant reduction in their short-term anxiety levels.

Butterflies in your stomach before a big presentation? Feeling nervous about an upcoming confrontation with a friend or family member? Take a few minutes to check in with yourself and your surroundings.

Doing so won't just help you breathe easier now, but the effects you feel today can last up to one week later. As moderate anxiety is linked to a higher cardiovascular risk, it's essential to keep those levels in check.

Experience the Benefits of Mindfulness for Yourself

You don't have to commit one hour every day to sitting on a yoga mat with your legs crossed and your fingers and thumbs pressed together. You can tune into your thoughts, redirect your nervous energy and practice mindfulness from almost anywhere, at any time.

All that it takes is a dedication to narrowing in on your thoughts, paying close attention to where your mind goes and leading it to a place of stillness and reflection. When you take the time to do this, you can reap the seven benefits listed above, along with many others.

Looking for more tools and resources to help you navigate your medical conditions and live a safer, healthier life? We're here to help Check out our wide variety of medical ID bands and necklaces, along with our travel accessories and kid's collection. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.