Mindfulness is the practice of focusing your attention on the present moment, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Your awareness or attention is in the now, not thinking about the past or about the future. The past can be years ago, days ago or the last moment. When practicing mindfulness we remain in the present moment as best we can without looking to the past or future.

This attention in the present moment has many health benefits and here are a few:

Feel Happier

A Harvard Research study found that 42% of our waking hours are spent thinking about things that have either happened (past) or might happen (future). This means that we are not in the present and aware of what is going on around us. For example we are stuck in some sort of drama about what happened or worrying about what might of happen. This end result of this type of thinking is that we are unhappy.

Practicing mindfulness can help us respond more calmly in situations, reduce stress, reduce depression, ease anxiety and generally make you feel happier. If we feel happier, there is research to suggest that we may live a longer, happier life too.

Improve Cognition

Mindfulness can enhance your ability to sustain attention and process information.

Improve Health and Quality of Life

Mindfulness has been linked to strengthening the immune system. Less stress on the body gives the body a change to heal and repair.

Improve Relationships

Being mindful can improve our ability to communicate, listen actively and feel empathy. Also as we feel calmer within we are less likely to react negatively in stressful situations. This also links to better health and positive emotional regulation.

In fact, psychologists have found that a lack of quality relationships and overall social disconnection is as harmful as obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day!

Better Eating Habits

Have you ever sat down with a cup of tea and a few biscuits and before you knew it you have eaten everything and were not really conscious of doing so? How did that happen? Distracted eating in front of the tv, screens etc can cause you to eat more. This is because you are not mindful of what is happening (eating) but distracted by something else (tv).

According to a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, mindful eating can help you control your food intake. It takes approximately 20 minutes before your brain registers that you are full. If you eat quickly and while distracted then you are far more likely to overeat and the brain doesn't have time to catch up. Eating slowly and savouring your food, can help control your food intake.

If you are less stressed you less likely to eat on the go and perhaps choose a less healthy option. With more mindful preparation and planning you can avoid unhealthy choices.

Improved Sleep

There is plenty of research about the importance of a good nights sleep for our overall mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Sleep promotes mental and emotional resilience while lack of sleep tends to make us feel irritable and irrational.

Mindfulness practices can help relax the body and mind to improve our overall sleep quality.