Mindfulness to Better Health

Mindfulness can be described as a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. Mindfulness is a state, rather than a trait. [1]

The practice of mindfulness has been found to have many benefits, including: [1]

• Reduction of depressive symptoms
• Less rumination
• Stress reduction
• Boosts to focus and working memory
• More cognitive flexibility
• Relationship satisfaction
• Health benefits
• Decreased anxiety

When children learn meditation and mindfulness skills, they will experience increased well-being and they will be better able to meet the stresses of the world with presence, self-compassion, compassion for others, and openness. [2]

But mindfulness is not just good for children. Studies have shown that people who regularly practice mindfulness experience benefits such as less anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, improved sleep, and they are even better able to cope with pain. [3]

Parents and teachers can practice mindfulness with their children on a regular basis. It could be part of their daily morning or nighttime routine and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. If children learn some simple mindfulness practices, they can use these in their lives when they are feeling stressed, upset, or anxious. Also, using them on a daily basis will help them when hard times come along.

Simple Mindfulness Practices

• Take some deep breaths: Breathe in through your nose to a count of 4, hold for 1 second and then exhale through the mouth to a count of 5. Repeat often.
• 5 Senses: Think about 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you smell, 2 things you can touch, 1 thing you taste.
• Be a Tree: Think: I am firmly planted. I feel my feet rooted to the ground. My back is a strong trunk helping me feel stable and strong. My toes are connected to the ground. I am picturing my arms rising up (or I will raise them up) to the warm sun. I stand tall.
• Mindful Drawing: Drawing is a powerful mindfulness exercise. One idea is to find a starting place on your page and line that up with a point on what you are observing. Set a timer for three minutes and prepare to keep your eyes focused on your subject the entire time. Without looking at your paper, move your pencil with your eye as it traces the edges and shapes that you see. Focus on the connection between your eye and your pencil. Any kind of drawing can be a powerful mindfulness tool.
• Stories: Close your eyes and think of a favorite story from a book or real-life. Visualize what happens in the story as if you are part of the story.
• Hot Air Balloon Breathing: Sit comfortably and imagine inflating a hot air balloon. Take a deep breath in through the nose, cup your hands around your mouth. As you exhale slowly, expand your hands outward, visualizing the growing hot air balloon.

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1. Davis, D. M., & Hayes, J. A. (2021, July/August). What are the benefits of mindfulness? American Psychological Association. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner.

2. Mindfulness for Kids. (n.d.). Mindful.org. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids/.

3. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/06/mindfulness-your-health#:~:text=Studies%20suggest%20that%20focusing%20on,help%20people%20cope%20with%20pain.