Amazing Benefits of Mindfulness for Body & Mind

It is important to mention, that various disciplines and practices can cultivate mindfulness skills, for example yoga, tai chi and qigong. Our focus is on mindfulness, which is developed through formal mindfulness meditation and informal mindfulness practices.

Here are some positive effects. When practicing mindfulness, the grey matter in our brain’s amygdala — a region known for its role in managing stress — can become smaller decreasing stress level in our life. The area of the brain known as hippocampus, which helps our memory and learning, becomes thicker as a result of practicing mindfulness.

Mindfulness meditation practices focus on training attention and awareness that allow us to choose how to respond to any life situation. These practices promote a general mental well-being and develop specific capacities such as calmness, clarity and concentration. (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006)

Benefits you can expect by practicing mindfulness on a regular basis:

• Decreased stress
• Decreased emotional reactivity and increased response flexibility
• Enhanced ability to deal with illness
• Improved general health (a boost to the immune system)
• Enhanced ability to focus and improved attention
• Improved social and relational skills, emotional intelligence
• Balanced sleep
• Enhanced job performance or academic skills
• Decreased anxiety, depression, worry, and rumination
• Higher life satisfaction

The benefits are numerous, and research suggests that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) may help a broad range of individuals. Considering the potential positive outcomes, hope you find it useful to start or proceed with your regular daily practice.

Created by Elena Vysotskaya in collaboration with Valeria Karachevskaia

Elena Vysotskaya is a kindness officer empowering busy humans to make the difference via mindful way of life and self-discovery. The primary aim of approach introduced by Elena is to live with more kindness, awareness, choice, empathy, patience, compassion and resilience. Areas of expertise: emotional intelligence, self-confidence, mindful leadership, executive burnout, workplace stress, well-being

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