Understanding Mindfulness Meditation: Its Definition and Benefits
Mindfulness meditation is a simple process, but there is a wealth of benefits stemming from the practice. Mindfulness is the state of paying full attention to the present with openness and acceptance. Therefore, mindfulness meditation is a practice that trains states of mindfulness by calling our attention to our experience at a certain moment so we can use our awareness to respond positively. In focused attention meditation, the goal is to focus on a certain stimulus, usually your breath, and to redirect your attention to the stimulus every time it wanders. Open monitoring meditation involves the nonjudgmental observance of where your attention wanders. Both of these are effective and sometimes used in the same session.
Mindfulness meditation is important not just because it trains us to live in the moment and have clarity of our feelings, but because it can help us cope with challenges arising in our daily lives, improve symptoms of mental illness, and more. The following studies demonstrate the numerous benefits of mindfulness meditation practice. Stick around until the end for some practical and accessible resources for incorporating meditation into your daily life.
Before you continue, you might like to consider our free worksheet on exploring “Why Do I Feel Like This”. Please download this worksheet here.
Mindfulness Meditation and Stress
Stress relief is probably the most well-known benefit of mindfulness meditation. We live in a fast-paced, task-heavy world, and nearly everyone succumbs to stress at one point or another. Meditation’s effect on stress is very important because severe stress leads to a whole host of physical and psychological issues, such as heart disease and anxiety. A common place stress manifests in our lives is at work. High levels of work stress correlate with increased depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, increased blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome (Bostock, Crosswell, Prather, & Steptoe, 2019).
You may think that health issues stemming from work are rare and come from severe cases, but they are actually quite prevalent. Between 5 to 8 percent of annual health care costs in the United States can be attributed to work-related stressors (Bostock et al., 2019). Studies show that employees who are given or find the time to meditate experience better health outcomes. Perhaps this is why top companies like Google, Yahoo, and HBO have invested in designated meditation spaces and meditation training. Healthier employees are more effective, after all.
When 900 UK employees were given free access to the app Headspace, which consists of 45 mindfulness meditation-based trainings, they saw significant increases in their well-being (Bostock et al., 2019). Over 8 weeks, the employees gradually reduced their anxiety and depressive symptoms, their job strain, and their systolic blood pressure (Bostock et al., 2019). At the same time, they increased in positive affect and perceived workplace social support (Bostock et al., 2019).
Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction Summary:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Bostock et al. (2019) | Employees who meditated reported decreased anxiety, job strain, and systolic blood pressure. |
| Boyle et al. (2017) | Meditation helped reduce stress in young women with breast cancer. |
| Charoensukmongkol (2014) | Regular meditation reduced stress and improved emotional intelligence. |
Mindfulness Meditation for Pain
Mindfulness meditation influences somatic and psycho-somatic conditions as well as conditions like stress. Meditation for migraines has been particularly promising. Chronic migraine is a disabling condition indicated by the presence of a headache in at least 15 days per month. The migraines come from a mix of biological, social, and psychological factors. It can lead to impairment in functioning and the overuse of painkillers (Grazzi et al., 2017).
When a group of patients with chronic migraines participated in a weekly 45-minute intervention for 6 weeks with an at-home practice component, they showed reduced headache frequency, reduced medication intake, improved depressive symptoms, and less inflammation biomarkers (Grazzi et al., 2017). These positive results likely stem from the effect mindfulness meditation has of reducing stress and improving emotional intelligence.
Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief:
| Condition | Effect of Meditation |
|---|---|
| Chronic Migraines | Reduced headache frequency, less medication, and improved mood. |
| Multiple Sclerosis | Decreased emotional dysregulation and reduced negative affect. |
Mindfulness Meditation and Depression
Meditation is associated with better outcomes for those suffering with depression. After 8 weekly 3-hour sessions, with an at-home practice component, participants in a study on meditation’s effect on depression dropped into a normal range for scores on a depression and anxiety symptom inventory (Xue et al., 2018). There were also improvements on quality of sleep and metabolic profiles. Depression is associated with lipid abnormalities, which puts patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Therefore, the improvement in lipid metabolism in this study shows the importance of meditation in increasing health outcomes for those suffering with mood disorders.
Study Summary:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Xue et al. (2018) | 8-week meditation program led to reduced depression symptoms and improved sleep quality. |
| Winnebeck et al. (2017) | Meditation group showed significantly reduced symptoms compared to controls. |
Mindfulness Meditation and Anxiety Relief
Mindfulness meditation helps reduce anxiety by promoting emotional regulation and reducing ruminative thinking. Meditation was shown to help reduce anxiety for those dealing with performance anxiety, such as music students (Diaz, 2018).
Study on Anxiety Relief:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Zeidan et al. (2014) | Meditation led to reduced anxiety and improved emotional regulation. |
Mindfulness Meditation and Academic Performance
Mindfulness meditation can improve academic performance by increasing focus and reducing anxiety.
Effect on Students:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Lin & Mai (2018) | Freshmen who practiced mindfulness showed better quiz performance. |
| Beauchemin et al. (2008) | Meditation helped students with learning disabilities reduce anxiety and improve social skills. |
Mindfulness Meditation and Creativity
Although meditation often seeks to limit thoughts, it can still be a positive source of inspiration.
How Meditation Enhances Creativity:
| Benefit | Effect |
|---|---|
| Increased Focus | Helps focus attention on creative tasks. |
| Non-Striving Attitude | Encourages effortless, flowing creativity. |
| Reduced Frustration | Promotes patience, reducing stress around creative blocks. |
Mindfulness Meditation and Weight Loss
Mindfulness meditation helps with weight loss by reducing emotional eating and increasing awareness of hunger cues.
Benefits for Weight Loss:
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Reduces Emotional Eating: Meditation helps individuals better manage their emotions, reducing stress-induced cravings.
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Promotes Mindful Eating: Encourages attention to hunger and fullness cues, helping control overeating.
Mindfulness Meditation and Interpersonal Relationships
Mindfulness improves interpersonal relationships by promoting empathy and reducing negative reactions in conflict situations.
Key Benefits for Relationships:
| Benefit | Effect |
|---|---|
| Increased Empathy | Meditation fosters greater understanding and compassion. |
| Improved Forgiveness | Meditators show greater willingness to forgive and move past conflicts. |
Brief Mindfulness Meditation
Even short mindfulness sessions (5–20 minutes) can offer significant benefits, including reduced stress, improved decision-making, and healthier eating habits.
Key Findings on Brief Meditation:
| Duration | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5–15 minutes | Reduced anxiety, improved focus, and healthier eating habits. |
Mindfulness Meditation Examples
Here are two brief meditation practices to try:
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Focused Attention Meditation:
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Sit comfortably and focus on your breath.
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When your mind wanders, gently redirect your attention back to your breath.
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Body Scan Meditation:
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Start at your toes and move up through your body, noticing sensations in each area.
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Notice tension or relaxation in muscles.
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Conclusion: Start Your Mindfulness Journey Today
Mindfulness meditation has numerous benefits, from stress reduction and improved emotional regulation to enhanced creativity and academic performance. Whether you practice for 5 minutes or an hour, the key is consistency.
Ready to dive deeper into mindfulness? Download our free “Why Do I Feel Like This Workbook” to help you start incorporating mindfulness into your daily life.
