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Why Mindfulness?

Writer's picture: Aaron AngelAaron Angel



“Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that attention over time as best we can. In the process, we become more in touch with our life as it is unfolding.” -John Kabat-Zinn



 


At Wellness at Work, we believe that MINDFULNESS is what ties the multiple diverse facets of a healthy lifestyle together. Although our Mindfulness and Meditation class is one of our most popular offerings, each of our offerings, be it a fitness class, a workshop on how to improve sleep, or a cooking demo is founded on mindfulness.

The scientific study of the effects of mindfulness and meditation is still relatively new, but the information coming out so far is compelling. Here are some of the reported benefits to practicing meditation consistently.



 


1. Reduced Stress

Sometimes stress is useful to keep us safe in the face of a clear danger, but the chronic stress that most of us are used to today can end up wreaking havoc on our lives. When we ignore chronic stress, it increases the risk for anxiety, depression, heart disease, weight gain, digestive problems, sleep problems, and more. A study from John Hopkins University published in 2014 suggests that mindfulness meditation can help manage psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain.


2. Boost Immune System

An impaired immune system can make you susceptible to more illness and can slow down your body’s ability to fight disease. Mindfulness meditation can boost your immune system. A study published in 2003 reported increased immune function for participants who joined an 8 week mindfulness meditation course when compared to the control group who were not practicing.


3. Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure affects millions of Americans and can be deadly. A study in published in 2013 found that regular mindfulness practice lowered blood pressure in participants with prehypertension as compared with the control group who were not practicing mindfulness.


4. Sleep Better

Mindfulness meditation can help treat insomnia. Not only can meditation help you fall asleep more easily and more soundly if you do it right before bed, but studies are showing it doesn’t matter when in the day you practice. Here’s a study from 2015 showing how much of an impact meditation can have on your sleep.


5. Reduced Pain

This study from 2016 found that mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce the intensity of physical pain. Interestingly, even when participants were given a drug that blocks opioid receptors, the pain was still mitigated, which is very promising news for those who cannot take opioids or struggle with addiction.


6. Increased Focus

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve mental processing, including working memory, and focus. This 2011 study found that participants who practiced meditation were less distracted and more focused on the task at hand.



You can sign up for our Newsletter to receive a free guided mindfulness meditation and below is a short intro to our Mindfulness and Meditation Class.






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