BE KIND TO YOUR MIND

Our mental health can greatly impact our ability to live a productive and fruitful life and can also impact our psychological, emotional and social well-being. Mindfulness is an amazing tool to regain a sense of serenity and help us face uncertainty with a positive attitude.

Before now, many of us live a fast-paced lifestyle with almost no time to stop and appreciate the beauty and gifts of nature. Now, as we are faced the global pandemic and the stress that accompanies it, Mindfulness is an amazing tool to regain that sense of serenity, pause and appreciate the splendour around us and help us face uncertainty with a positive attitude.

Moreover, science confirms it; you can experience benefits from taking up the practice of Mindfulness. Find out what these benefits are below.

LESS STRESS, BETTER SLEEP

The effectiveness of mindfulness to fight stress and anxiety has been widely validated. This technique helps to minimize the physiological response of our bodies to stress: it slows down our heart rate and reduces the level of cortisol (a hormone released in stressful situations). Furthermore, the state of calmness induced by mindfulness facilitates better sleep.

A STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM

Some initial tests have confirmed the positive influence of mindfulness on the body's immune response. Include mindfulness in your daily routine, along with a balanced diet nutrition and physical exercise, to feel stronger than ever.

 UPGRADED BRAIN

Studies show that regular mindfulness practices are associated with structural changes in the brain. Mindfulness not only increases the size of the brain, but also improves gray matter density, related to better information processing. In addition, mindfulness helps reduce the brain waves that predispose us to feeling fearful and judgmental while increasing waves that boost tranquility and good moods.

 SLOW AGEING PROCESS

Nowadays, we know that preventing stress is one of the best anti-aging tactics. There are studies that show that those who practice mindfulness have longer telomeres. These cellular compounds are one of the main biomarkers of aging: the longer they are, the younger our cells are.

BETTER CLARITY AND FOCUS

Working from home? Trying a new hobby? Starting a new venture? Mindfulness improves your focus, and also boosts memory and creativity! When you practice mindfulness on a regular basis, you gain mental clarity. Mindfulness trains your capacity of attention, which is enormously beneficial to your intellectual performance.

MORE EMPATHY AND COMPASSION

Saying that this technique makes you a better person may sound like an overstatement, but, reality says otherwise. Researchers have found that people who practice mindfulness score higher in compassion, kindness and empathy. What better time to cultivate these skills than right now?

Now that you know the benefits of mindfulness, I will teach you how you can practice this self-care tool in my next blog.

Take care and be well.

Kehinde Ogunba