What is Mindfulness Meditation and Why is it Helpful?

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness Meditation is a great way for clients to slow their thoughts down to allow time for comprehension and stillness. Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which individuals can focus on what they are feeling in a particular moment. 

At its core, Mindfulness Meditation supports individuals to be fully present and actively aware in a moment. Often, we can find ourselves on autopilot while completing everyday chores. Mindfulness Meditation allows individuals to actively comprehend what they are doing and allows them to feel sensations they would not have felt otherwise when not practicing this great skill.  

The key points to Mindfulness Meditation are simple. Overall, it’s to be aware. Focused attention is a core skill that can be developed through mindfulness activities. Individuals often begin this practice by actively taking time out of their day to practice. 

There are a range of mindfulness activities that individuals can complete to begin their Mindfulness Meditation journey. These might include breath awareness exercises, acceptance exercises, and meditation exercises.

On the contrary, Mindfulness Meditation exercises can actually be implemented into everyday routines. This allows individuals to practice certain mindfulness techniques while not taking drastic measures to interrupt their busy lifestyles. 

Individuals may find it helpful to do small amounts of mindful activities while making their bed in the morning, writing in their journal before sleeping, focusing on their breathing while in the shower, and even doing the laundry. 

There are lots of things that can be considered mindfulness. For example, when driving to work, individuals can focus on the road ahead of them. They can focus on the oncoming traffic, car colors, and even their hands gripping the steering wheel. 

It can be an intimidating process to get the journey of mindfulness started. However, it is important to remember that mindfulness meditation exercises are flexible and can fit your busy lifestyle. Even if you don’t choose to partake in mindful activities every single day, you can still benefit from utilizing the techniques, even once or twice a week (Cherry, 2021). 

How to practice Mindfulness Meditation:

There are a variety of ways in which individuals can engage in Mindfulness Meditation. We recommend you collaborate with your client on ways that might be helpful for beginners of mindfulness to start their journey. Here are some ways that you may suggest to help your clients practice mindfulness:

Getting comfortable

Mindfulness Meditation can be practiced anywhere, but finding a comfortable position and space where practice won’t be limited can be beneficial. Comfortable spaces might be in a quiet room, on the floor, in a chair, and even in comfortable clothing.

Remain focused

It can be hard to focus on mindfulness activities when intrusive thoughts enter your consciousness. This is why staying focused on mindfulness meditation is a good idea. Individuals can do this by actively noticing when their thoughts drift to another place and then bringing those thoughts back to the mindfulness exercise.

Download a Mindfulness Meditation app

Although there are various Mindfulness Meditation exercises and techniques that individuals can use, Mindfulness Meditation apps are available for download. These apps are designed specifically for the tracking and utilizing mindfulness techniques that can support individuals who might be new to these sorts of practices. 

Find Mindfulness Meditation practices that work for you

It can be frustrating when Mindfulness Meditation practices don’t work out. Often, when people begin a new exercise to improve their daily routine, it can be difficult to stick with it if it doesn’t appeal to you. This is why we recommend taking that extra time to find Mindfulness Meditation exercises that work for you. It may take some time, but you’ll be thankful you chose the ones that fit just right for your daily routine.

Mindfulness Meditation benefits

Mindfulness Meditation has a range of benefits for clients who decide to utilize these exercises. Here are just a few:

Stress reduction

Various research studies have proved mindfulness to be beneficial for the reduction of stress that an individual faces. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a common therapeutic technique that is used in many therapeutic sessions in order to reduce stress (Cherry, 2021). MBSR has also been used to treat other psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Better quality sleep

Practicing Mindfulness Meditation exercises can benefit individuals within their sleep schedule. A study conducted by Rusch et al. (2019) determined that mindfulness interventions practiced by individuals significantly improved their quality of sleep.

Improving physical health

Mindfulness Meditation can also improve an individual’s physical health. Because Mindfulness Meditation can support the relief of stress, the associated symptoms of stress can be alleviated. These concerns can be physical, such as heart disease, blood pressure, chronic pain, sleeping, and gastrointestinal problems (Benefits of Mindfulness, 2019). 

Enhance emotional regulation

Regular attempts at Mindfulness Meditation can be linked to a more positive outlook on situations. When an individual has a more positive outlook on things, they tend to have a better emotional regulatory system in place. For example, if a situation does not go to plan, individuals who practice Mindfulness Meditation may be more inclined to be less stressed and less irritated. 

Reducing anxiety

Mindfulness meditation may also be able to support individuals who are struggling with anxiety. This is because most of the available mindfulness meditation exercises focus on the here and now. 

For example, focusing on breathing and body scan exercises requires the individual to stop and guide their attention through their breathing and sensations in their body. Individuals who are living with anxiety might utilize breathwork to gain a hold of their cognitions during anxious times. 

Mindfulness Meditation exercises:

There are a variety of Mindfulness Meditation exercises that clients can utilize when encompassing more mindfulness into their lifestyle. Here are a few:

Breath awareness

Breathing exercises are a common form of Mindfulness Meditation exercise. Typically, they include finding a quiet place to sit or lay down. Individuals can close their eyes and focus on the pace of their breathing. 

During this time, it may be beneficial for them to focus on the natural occurrence of their breathing without trying to control it. It is typical that during this time, the mind may wander. It is important to remember that this is okay, just gently bring your attention back to breathing. Mindful breathing can support individuals in staying present in the moment (Mindful Breathing (Greater Good in Action), n.d.). 

Body scan

Another Mindfulness Meditation exercise that individuals can complete is a body scan. To do this, individuals will lie on their backs with their legs and arms extended at their sides. The palms of the hands will be facing upwards towards the sky. 

When completing a body scan, the individual will focus their attention deliberately on each part of the body. Typically, this is done from head to toe. During this time, it is important to be aware of any cognitions, emotions, or sensations associated with each body part (Mindfulness Exercises, 2020).  

Mindful walking

This mindfulness exercise typically only takes around 10 minutes. This is not like any other walking exercise. Individuals will stand up straight while actively feeling their feet touching the ground. While walking, individuals will let their weight distribute evenly. 

The entire time the individual is engaged in this mindfulness exercise, the focus remains on active mindfulness. Individuals are encouraged to feel and think about their feet touching their shoe that touches the pavement. A great way to think about this is to feel their foot swing, feel their heel touch the pavement, feel their ball touch the pavement, and feel their toes touch the pavement (Boyce, 2013). 

Paying attention

Paying attention can be a simple task we often forget to do. Most of the time, we find ourselves on autopilot getting through the day. Mindfulness Meditation supports individuals in actively seeking out the small things in their lives.

Individuals can try to take time in their day to actively think about what they are doing. This could be when driving to work, walking their dog, reading a book or even enjoying the sunshine. Taking time to appreciate and pay attention to your actions can help with your mindfulness journey. 

Self-acceptance

Self-acceptance can be a really important exercise when practicing mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness Exercises (2020) suggests that accepting yourself is treating yourself how you would treat a friend. 

Being kind to yourself opens an array of doors that can allow an individual to notice other things in their life or even take worry away from certain aspects. When the individual practices self-acceptance, their confidence can grow, and significant concerns may not seem as big anymore. This can also protect the individual's peace. 

Sitting meditation

Like the body scan, individuals can utilize sitting meditation to support their mindfulness journey. To complete a sitting meditation session, individuals can sit comfortably with their backs straight and feet flat on the floor. 

Hands should be positioned in their lap, and breathing should be through their nose. Mindfulness Exercises (2020) suggests that individuals should focus on their breath moving in and out of the body. During this time, the individual should note any physical sensations that may occur or interrupt your session but return their focus on breathing afterward. 

When is it best to take Mindfulness Meditation?

There are various times within an individual’s life when practicing Mindfulness Meditation may be beneficial. Overall, implementing the practice of mindfulness is highly dependent on the routine that the client has in place. 

Morning routine

It may be helpful for some individuals to practice some Mindfulness Meditation exercises during their morning routine. This may be more suitable if the individual has a busy afternoon schedule and little free time to practice these exercises. Some people also prefer to practice mindfulness and other physical activities before they start their day as a wake-up routine.

Before going to sleep

Likewise, to reading or any other activity individuals do to get ready for a great sleep, individuals may find that practicing mindfulness exercises before going to sleep can help them get a good rest and end their day on a good note.

Stressful events

Individuals with knowledge of mindfulness exercises may be more inclined to use their supportive techniques when they experience stressful situations. Even taking five minutes to practice a breathing exercise may support the individual in carrying on with their day and feeling more capable.

When you feel you need to

The great thing about Mindfulness Meditation exercises and techniques is that they are entirely adaptable to any situation a client may face. Mindfulness exercises can be utilized for ongoing psychological support and daily routine maintenance. These exercises can also act as a protective coping mechanism for individuals who need it.

How can Carepatron help with Mindfulness Meditation-related work?

Carepatron is the best place to do all your Mindfulness Meditation-related work! We’re here to support you in keeping your practice running seamlessly and efficiently. 

As your mindfulness app, Carepatron can work with you to provide the best quality mindfulness exercises for your client to implement into their lifestyle. We know how daunting the task of acquiring alternative mindfulness techniques might be. That’s why you can rest assured with our mindfulness templates that are easily accessible on the Carepatron platform. 

Not only can we support you in terms of your specific needs tailored to your therapy requirements, but we can also guide you through administrative tasks that take up a good part of your day. This way, you can get back to doing what you love while we take care of things behind the scenes. 

By using Carepatron as your mindfulness software, you can look forward to a range of tools that can allow you to put your mind at ease. Carepatron is an excellent choice for a therapy practice management software. If you’re looking for software that takes care of billing, acts as therapy scheduling software, provides reminders for your clients, and even has a comprehensive electronic health record, look no further!

Utilizing Carepatron as your therapy EHR, you can alleviate anxiety around retaining important client notes. Carepatron’s secure storage of client notes lets you access them from anywhere, allowing for an easy hybrid working experience. 

References

Benefits of mindfulness. (2019, March 21). HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm

Boyce, B. (2013, April 3). Walk This Way. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/walk-this-way/

Cherry, K. (2021, April 8). Mindfulness Meditation. Verywell Mind; Verywellmind. https://www.verywellmind.com/mindfulness-meditation-88369

Mindful Breathing (Greater Good in Action). (n.d.). Ggia.berkeley.edu. https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mindful_breathing#:~:text=Mindful%20breathing%20in%20particular%20is

Mindfulness exercises. (2020, September 15). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356

Rusch, H. L., Rosario, M., Levison, L. M., Olivera, A., Livingston, W. S., Wu, T., & Gill, J. M. (2019). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1445(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13996