How mindfulness can boost your mental health

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By Carly Wallace, PsyD, clinical supervisor, Focus Depression Recovery Adolescent Care, Oconomowoc

We live in a fast-paced world where it can be difficult to slow down, pause, and focus on one thing at a time. All too often, we fall into the habit of dividing our attention across multiple demands, which can lead to stress and anxiety about whether we’re performing at our best for ourselves and those we love. Practicing mindfulness provides a solution.

How do you define mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the current moment and accepting it as is without evaluating or trying to change it. Mindfulness involves observing and describing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations with openness, like you’re watching leaves gently float down a stream.

One of the most challenging aspects is learning to focus on a single thought, feeling, or sensation while approaching it with a sense of nonjudgmental curiosity. Additionally, mindfulness helps a person become more aware of how many judgments they make every day, such as, “That ice cream was good!” or “I’ll never be able to do this right.” While mindfulness can be challenging at first, it becomes easier and more intentional with practice.

Is it the same as meditation?

It’s not uncommon for people to confuse mindfulness and meditation, as the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they differ in practice. While mindfulness is being in the present moment with openness and without judgment, meditation is a skill that involves focusing your attention and awareness. The important difference is that you can be mindful without engaging in meditation, but mindfulness is necessary to practice meditation.

How does it benefit a person’s well-being?

Research studies show that practicing mindfulness has several benefits:

• Reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. It’s not uncommon for people with anxiety and depression to ruminate, or fixate on negative or unhelpful thoughts and feelings, which can make their symptoms worse. For example, a child may ruminate about a bad grade they received on a test, or an adult may ruminate on an argument they had with their partner. Engaging in mindfulness helps people to stay present in the moment and breaks the rumination cycle.
• Helps people manage emotions by noticing and naming how they feel in the present moment instead of reacting impulsively.
• Improves relationships with others. One study found that people who engaged in mindfulness approached conflict with less anger and anxiety.

4 mindfulness exercises

The beauty of mindfulness is that you can practice it during many simple everyday activities. Here are four ideas:

1. Listen to music. Many people play music in the background while working or driving. However, ask yourself when the last time was that you listened mindfully by closing your eyes and fully paying attention to the words and the instruments that are playing? Try noticing if the tempo changes throughout the song.
2. Observe your surroundings while running or walking outside. What do you see, hear, or smell? It’s important to pay attention to how your body feels during these activities and how those feelings change as you continue.
3. Engage in mindful breathing. Find a comfortable position and notice your breath without judgment. Another way to practice mindful breathing is through square breathing. Visualize a square in your mind and make your way around the square as you hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and breathe in for 4 seconds.
4. Try eating mindfully. Often, we sit down to meals and don’t even taste the food we’re eating. The purpose of mindful eating is to be fully aware of our eating experience. Next time you sit down for a meal ask yourself, what does the food look like? How is it seasoned? What does the texture feel like? Is it warm or cold? How does your body feel after you're finish eating? 

How does Rogers incorporate it?

We use mindfulness in our programs as part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or DBT-informed skills, to help people learn how to accept uncomfortable or opposing thoughts and emotions, in addition to helping people realize where they have room for change.

Mental health and addiction care at Rogers Behavioral Health

Rogers offers compassionate care for children, teens, and adults. Call 800-767-411 for a free, confidential screening.