The practice of mindfulness linked to meditation has obtained good results both in terms of its effects on physical and mental he alth . It is related to a lower risk of showing a pathology and with greater brain development.
Mindfulness, also called mindfulness, consists of focusing attention on the "here and now" in the present moment and accepting the experience and ourselves without judging or making any kind of assessment. So we get to know ourselves better, allowing us to regulate our emotions, reduce stress, improve our attention span, memory, problem solving and even our relationship with others.
There are so many benefits that have been obtained from the practice of mindfulness that It has been introduced as a complementary technique to other interventions in psychological treatment sessionsas third or new generation therapies, to treat patients with different pathologies, but linked above all to emotional disturbance or affectation.
In this article you will learn more about the practice of mindfulness, its origin, its most relevant characteristics and what benefits have been observed in various investigations.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness, also known as mindfulness, has its origins in Buddhist meditation, reaching the West driven by professor of medicine Jon Kabat-Zinn who introduced it as a strategy used in psychotherapy. The technique consists of focusing attention on the present moment, without making any kind of assessment of the thoughts that arise, just contemplating themIn this way we must accept our thoughts without judging them.
The fundamental components of mindfulness are: as we have already said, focus attention on the present; be open, receptive, to different experiences; radical acceptance, that is, we will neither judge nor value experiences, we will not even reject those that are negative; we are the ones who choose what we focus our attention or consciousness on but without trying to control what we feel or what these experiences arouse in us.
Also we must remain patient, we must not force any reaction, as we said we will simply contemplate; we will avoid forming expectations or comparing with previous experiences, remember that you should only focus on the present; and we will not give importance to achieving immediate results, we will let them arise when necessary. On the other hand, the observation of the experience must be participatory, that is, we cannot perceive it as something foreign to us, but we will contemplate it as something that is part of oneself.
Another important factor is to accept our present selves. In order to change and improve, we must first accept ourselves as we are, to know what our starting point is and what aspects we must work on to improve. Acceptance is the first step to being able to change.
What are the positive effects of mindfulness on he alth?
Now that we know what mindfulness practice consists of, it will be easier for us to understand its benefits and the reasons why this technique is being used as strategies in psychological therapy.
one. Reduces stress and increases emotional control
As we have mentioned, mindfulness is linked to the practice of meditation, so it is easy to deduce that the results achieved will be similar.In different studies it has been observed that the mindfulness technique, carried out regularly, is related to a decrease in the hormone cortisol, which in small doses has effects positive for the subject, since it helps regulate metabolism for energy, cope with stress, reduce infections, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, controls sleep-wake cycles, and is also involved in memory and concentration.
In this way, when an alteration of this hormone occurs, all the previous functions will be affected, also increasing the risk of presenting mood disorders such as anxiety or depression. Mindfulness helps us relax, thus reducing stress and with it the cortisol level.
2. Improves our ability to concentrate
As we already know, one of the fundamental factors of mindfulness is to focus attention on the present, on the here and now and having fully aware of what is happening. Thus, although at first achieving the objective of this technique may be difficult, with continued practice we will be able to improve our ability to concentrate, achieving better control and management of our attention. We work so that the results obtained during mindfulness sessions can be generalized and applied to different areas of our lives.
3. Improves sleep
Referring to the first point, we know that mindfulness helps reduce stress, thus keeping us calmer and calmer in our daily lives even when difficult situations arise. It allows us self-control and emotional control that benefits rest. In addition, it has been observed that individuals who perform this practice show lower cortical activation during the night, remember that the waves of lower activity during sleep are associated with the phases of greater brain rest.
4. Memory enhancement
Related to the improvement of concentration we will also observe a better memory capacity. Being able to focus attention on a stimulus, on something we want to remember, makes it easier for us to better encode, store and retrieve it when necessary.
Several investigations have been carried out where it has been observed, in subjects who practice mindfulness, better functioning of working memory, which is a type of short-term memory that allows us to manipulate and operate with information for a certain period of time, being essential for the proper functioning of complex cognitive processes.
Likewise, results have been obtained in different studies that indicate that full consciousness helps to increase the volume of gray matter, neuronal bodies, of our brain, at the same time that an increase has also been observed in the hippocampus, one of the brain regions most linked to memory.
5. Helps protect the brain from damage
Research carried out on people who practice meditation, which as we already know is one of the bases of mindfulness, concluded that these individuals showed longer telomeres, this is the name given to the nucleotide sequence that forms the ends, tips, of the chromosomes and that have the main function of protecting from possible damage, also being related to aging, telomere shortening is one of the causes of this process.
It has also been observed that this practice is associated with an increase in the density of axons and the myelin that covers them, This consists of an insulating layer that allows information, the nerve impulse of the neuron, to be transmitted better and more efficiently along the axus.
6. Boost creativity
There has been evidence of an increase in creativity, understood as the ability to create or come up with new ideas. Reducing stress and improving attention span and concentration help boost this capacity, since if we feel more relaxed, our minds will be clearer and with it, it will be easier to focus on creating.
On the other hand, the improvement in the focus and control of attention allows us to stay focused on a task for longer, thus favoring being creative.
7. Promotes greater self-awareness
In short, mindfulness is a technique that allows us to dedicate a moment to ourselves, to connect and be aware of our thoughts and feelings thus helping us to get to know each other better. Knowing and facing what we feel is not always easy, since they remove emotions and thoughts that can harm you, but it is better to face them as soon as possible to avoid worse situations.
Knowing yourself better allows you to know the reason for your reaction in different situations, favoring the resolution of the different problems that may arise in your life and what is the best way to face the facts.
8. Improves social relationships
Also, benefits already presented such as self-knowledge, stress reduction or emotional regulation, that is, a better state of oneself, also facilitate a more favorable relationship with others Subjects have greater ability to express how they feel, communicate and understand the feelings of others, greater empathy.
9. Emotional intelligence development
Linked to the greater self-knowledge and self-awareness generated by the practice of mindfulness, the individual manages to understand, use, and correctly manage their emotions in order to reduce stress, be more benevolent, and empathetic toward one yourself, as well as reduce conflicts and deal with problems in a more optimal way.Similarly, emotional intelligence is also related to a better relationship with others, increasing empathy towards others.
10. Strengthening the brain
As we saw in previous points, mindfulness favors brain development Neuroplasticity has been observed, which consists of the formation of new connections neurons and neurogenesis, which is the creation of new neurons. In this way, there is a restructuring, a change in the brain and with it a new learning, allowing greater flexibility and better adaptation.