What Is Mindfulness?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Do You Know?TypesHow to PracticeImpactTipsPotential PitfallsHistory

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Do You Know?

Types

How to Practice

Impact

Tips

Potential Pitfalls

History

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more fully aware of the present moment—non-judgmentally and completely—rather than dwelling in the past or projecting into the future. It generally involves a heightened awareness of sensory stimuli (noticing your breathing, feeling the sensations of your body, etc.) and being “in the now.”

If you are experiencing thoughts that cause great discomfort or unease, it might be time to begin a mindfulness practice to support coming back to the here and now, which can significantly reduce your level of stress.

While mindfulness has origins in Eastern philosophy and Buddhism, there is no necessary religious component to mindfulness. Anyone with any belief system can enjoy the benefits of mindfulness.

Mindfulness vs. Meditation: What’s the Difference?

There are some signs that practicing mindfulness might be beneficial in your life. You might want to give mindfulness a try if:

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Types of Mindfulness

There are a number of different forms of mindfulness meditation and other mindfulness-based interventions. These include:

Therapy options that incorporate mindfulness practices include:

What to Know About Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness can be achieved throughmeditation, but one can also practice mindfulness through daily living. Focusing on the present moment and quieting your inner dialogue can help you attain mindfulness.

Some ways that you can practice meditation in your daily life:

For those who tend to get “antsy” during meditation (don’t worry, you’re not alone), there are other ways to ease into the practice of mindfulness.Gardening,listening to music, and evencleaning the housecan become a practice in mindfulness if you take the right approach.

Focus on the present and quiet that voice inside—the one that offers the running commentary on what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you will be doing. The goal isn’t to silence what is happening in your mind. Instead, observe your thoughts without judgment and gently bring your focus back to the present when you notice your mind wandering.

Mindful MomentNeed a breather? Take this free9-minute meditation focused on being present—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

Mindful Moment

Need a breather? Take this free9-minute meditation focused on being present—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

How to Become More Mindful in Your Everyday Life

Impact of Mindfulness

As Eastern practices gain more popularity in the West, mindfulness has been paired withcognitive therapy. Research shows some very promising results in a number of different areas. Practicing mindfulness, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have all been found to be helpful with the following concerns.

Anxiety Disorders

People withanxiety disorders, includinggeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD), may experience significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms after a mindfulness-based intervention. Mindfulness can also be used to decrease anxiety over the future. It can provide a break from stressful thoughts and allow you to take a mental break and gain perspective, among other things.

Depression

One study showed that people who experienced residual depressive symptoms following a depressive episode experienced a decrease in symptoms andruminationsfollowing a mindfulness-based intervention, with further gains a month later.

Studies also show that mindfulness can be helpful in stopping ruminations over things that cause stress; it helps people keep from dwelling on negative thoughts.

Relationship Issues

One study found that people who exhibited greater mindfulness as a personality trait tended to enjoy greater satisfaction in relationships and deal with relationship stress more constructively.

The research also found that those who employ mindfulness have a lower stress response during the conflict and that the state of mindfulness was associated with better communication during conflicts. Both studies link mindfulness with relationship well-being.

Eating Disorders

One study found that mindfulness-based interventions could be effective for targeting eating behaviors including emotional eating andbinge eating.

Stress Management

The practice of mindfulness has been shown to have lasting positive effects with benefits that increase with practice.

How Chronic Stress Impacts Your Health

Mindfulness Tips

Learning to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life is not always easy. It may take some time and practice to learn to slow down and live in the moment. Some things that you can do that may help:

While research suggests that mindfulness has a wide range of benefits, that does not mean that it is without potential adverse effects. One study on the impact of intensive meditation found that more than 60% of participants experienced at least one negative effect.

Some possible pitfalls include:

Research also suggests that higher levels of self-focused attention can lead to worsened mental health. This includes decreased ability to manage pain and increased anxiety.

Other pitfalls to watch for include expecting a quick-fix or thinking that mindfulness is a cure-all. Remember that it takes time, may not be appropriate for every problem, and may work best when used in conjunction with other therapies or treatments.

History of Mindfulness

More recently, the practice of mindfulness has been combined with cognitive therapy in treatments aimed at reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. The practice continues to grow in popularity as research shows the many health benefits of mindfulness.

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9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Kingston T, Dooley B, Bates A, Lawlor E, Malone K.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for residual depressive symptoms.Psychol Psychother. 2007;80(Pt 2):193-203. doi:10.1348/147608306X116016Deyo M, Wilson KA, Ong J, Koopman C.Mindfulness and rumination: Does mindfulness training lead to reductions in the ruminative thinking associated with depression?.Explore (NY). 2009;5(5):265-71. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.005Barnes S, Brown KW, Krusemark E, Campbell WK, Rogge RD.The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress.J Marital Fam Ther. 2007;33(4):482-500. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2007.00033.xO’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS.Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: A literature review.Obes Rev. 2014;15(6):453–461. doi:10.1111/obr.12156Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Cramer H, Lauche R, Paul A, Dobos G.Mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Oncol. 2012;19(5):e343–e352. doi:10.3747/co.19.1016Farias M, Wikholm C.Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind?.BJPsych Bull. 2016;40(6):329‐332. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.116.053686Britton WB.Can mindfulness be too much of a good thing? The value of a middle way.Curr Opin Psychol. 2019;28:159-165. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.011

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Kingston T, Dooley B, Bates A, Lawlor E, Malone K.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for residual depressive symptoms.Psychol Psychother. 2007;80(Pt 2):193-203. doi:10.1348/147608306X116016Deyo M, Wilson KA, Ong J, Koopman C.Mindfulness and rumination: Does mindfulness training lead to reductions in the ruminative thinking associated with depression?.Explore (NY). 2009;5(5):265-71. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.005Barnes S, Brown KW, Krusemark E, Campbell WK, Rogge RD.The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress.J Marital Fam Ther. 2007;33(4):482-500. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2007.00033.xO’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS.Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: A literature review.Obes Rev. 2014;15(6):453–461. doi:10.1111/obr.12156Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Cramer H, Lauche R, Paul A, Dobos G.Mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Oncol. 2012;19(5):e343–e352. doi:10.3747/co.19.1016Farias M, Wikholm C.Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind?.BJPsych Bull. 2016;40(6):329‐332. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.116.053686Britton WB.Can mindfulness be too much of a good thing? The value of a middle way.Curr Opin Psychol. 2019;28:159-165. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.011

Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Kingston T, Dooley B, Bates A, Lawlor E, Malone K.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for residual depressive symptoms.Psychol Psychother. 2007;80(Pt 2):193-203. doi:10.1348/147608306X116016Deyo M, Wilson KA, Ong J, Koopman C.Mindfulness and rumination: Does mindfulness training lead to reductions in the ruminative thinking associated with depression?.Explore (NY). 2009;5(5):265-71. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.005Barnes S, Brown KW, Krusemark E, Campbell WK, Rogge RD.The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress.J Marital Fam Ther. 2007;33(4):482-500. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2007.00033.xO’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS.Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: A literature review.Obes Rev. 2014;15(6):453–461. doi:10.1111/obr.12156Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al.Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: Effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786–792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083Cramer H, Lauche R, Paul A, Dobos G.Mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Oncol. 2012;19(5):e343–e352. doi:10.3747/co.19.1016Farias M, Wikholm C.Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind?.BJPsych Bull. 2016;40(6):329‐332. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.116.053686Britton WB.Can mindfulness be too much of a good thing? The value of a middle way.Curr Opin Psychol. 2019;28:159-165. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.011

Kingston T, Dooley B, Bates A, Lawlor E, Malone K.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for residual depressive symptoms.Psychol Psychother. 2007;80(Pt 2):193-203. doi:10.1348/147608306X116016

Deyo M, Wilson KA, Ong J, Koopman C.Mindfulness and rumination: Does mindfulness training lead to reductions in the ruminative thinking associated with depression?.Explore (NY). 2009;5(5):265-71. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.005

Barnes S, Brown KW, Krusemark E, Campbell WK, Rogge RD.The role of mindfulness in romantic relationship satisfaction and responses to relationship stress.J Marital Fam Ther. 2007;33(4):482-500. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2007.00033.x

O’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS.Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: A literature review.Obes Rev. 2014;15(6):453–461. doi:10.1111/obr.12156

Cramer H, Lauche R, Paul A, Dobos G.Mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Oncol. 2012;19(5):e343–e352. doi:10.3747/co.19.1016

Farias M, Wikholm C.Has the science of mindfulness lost its mind?.BJPsych Bull. 2016;40(6):329‐332. doi:10.1192/pb.bp.116.053686

Britton WB.Can mindfulness be too much of a good thing? The value of a middle way.Curr Opin Psychol. 2019;28:159-165. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.011

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Press Play for Advice on Building Self-Compassion#

Types of Mindfulness#

Mindful Moment#

Impact of Mindfulness#

Anxiety Disorders#

Depression#

Relationship Issues#

Eating Disorders#

Stress Management#

Mindfulness Tips#

History of Mindfulness#