Make time for mindfulness
3 reasons to work a little mindfulness meditation into your day.
Weekly topic: spring into summer
Hands up if you're guilty of doing too much...
Yep, us too.
We love a bit of JOMO every now and then - the joy of missing out, or to put it another way, learning to say 'no' to something if you'd rather just have some me time. And not feeling guilty about it!
One thing you might want to say 'yes' to though, is mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation is scientifically proven to improve your mental & physical health, plus it can help keep you grounded in the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or future.
The best news is, you could reap the benefits in just a few minutes. Try one of the Headspace meditations in the WW app and see how much better you feel afterwards!
Here are 3 reasons to set some time aside for mindfulness meditation:
1. It improves your focus & concentration
Mindful meditation changes the way you experience your moment-to-moment life, says Amishi Jha, PhD, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami who studies the effects of meditation on high-stress populations. Because of its positive effect on attention, she speculates that meditation may actually make it easier to stick to weight loss and exercise goals.
2. It may minimise stress-related disruption
Mindfulness practices may give you the extra dose of resilience you need to get through a rough patch. Jha’s research on meditation involves people with defined periods of stress, such as students or military members. Because the rest of us don’t always know when we’re going to face a high-stress situation, she says daily meditation is essential. “If we do it regularly,” Jha says, “we’re best prepared for anything that comes our way.”
3. It could help you bounce back more quickly
Bumps in the road are inevitable, no matter what your life or wellness goals are. Mindfulness practice can lessen how hard you are on yourself when you hit one. Bringing patience and self-compassion to your efforts will allow you to move on from the lapse and get back on track, says Jeffrey B. Rubin, PhD, a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author of The Art of Flourishing: A Guide to Mindfulness, Self-Care, and Love in a Chaotic World.