Why Practice Mindfulness?

Can’t sleep? If you’re having difficulty with worry and self-doubt or you’re struggling to sleep, you might turn to mindfulness for help.

Mindfulness (which experts also refer to as “mindfulness meditation”) refers to specific practices that draw attention to the present moment. Any type of mindfulness that you practice may improve your sleep, well-being and even lower levels of chronic pain. When it comes to mental health, mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression.

Studies have also found mindfulness to be helpful in the following ways:

It might help you have more satisfying relationships. Greater self-awareness leads to better communication, and this is where mindfulness comes in! Several studies found the ability to be mindful can predict satisfaction in relationships.

It might help you quit smoking or overcome other addictions. People who participated in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that their craving for cigarettes significantly decreased while practicing mindfulness meditation.

It might help you manage feelings of stress and anxiety. Therapists sometimes use mindfulness in combination with other treatments to help people cope with unwanted thoughts that interfere with work, relationships or the ability to enjoy life.

The more you practice mindfulness, the more you may gain from it. Experts generally recommend that you start by practicing mindfulness for five minutes per day and gradually work up to 15 to 20 minutes a day. This will give your mind time to "settle" into being fully present in the moment.

You should remember that you might need to give it some time before you start to see and feel a difference. Some studies show that people often begin to see the benefits of a mindfulness practice after about eight weeks of regular practice.

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