Let’s face it – our lives are jammed packed and stressed to the max. Whether it’s balancing study with friends and work, or family, work and children, it is difficult to switch off.
This is why it is even more important to forget everything that is going on in your life and relax. Mindfulness is a great way to do this. Mindfulness is about paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. Your breathing, your feelings, sounds, taste. In doing so, you become more aware of each moment and have a deeper appreciation.
Mindfulness origins stem from the Eastern world; however has become popular in western society as a way to relax and reduce stress. In fact it is believed that mindfulness can also improve sleep, reduce chronic pain, increase emotional intelligence and help manage depression.
Another area of research that is growing is the benefits of mindful eating and the positive impact on weight-loss (1). To do this you need to sit down and unplug from your meals, eat slowly and savour your food, make eating a sensory experience and be your own hunger expert (2). It helps us gain a deeper appreciation of every meal transforming our relationship with food on the why and how we are eating (3). Have you ever had a nice glass of red that you get lost in the moment?
If you are struggling to sleep at night, listening to ten minutes of mindfulness meditation can really help you switch off, relax and get your mind ready for sleep.
If you just need 10 minutes for yourself, you can also pop on a face mask, pour a cup of tea and listen to some mindfulness meditation.
We think practising mindfulness is just as important as exercising our bodies which is why we have included mindfulness in our database. If you are feeling a little out of sorts, why not give it a try? We have included three of our favourite mindfulness videos below for you to try.
1. Mindfulness Mediation – Guided 10 Minutes by The Honest Guys – Meditations – Relaxation
2. Mindfulness Mediation to Help Relieve Anxiety and Stress by WiseMindBody
3. 20 Minutes Mindfulness for Being Present by The Mindful Moment
(1). Healthbeat. Mindful Eating May Help with Weight Loss. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/mindful-eating-may-help-with-weight-loss
(2) Jennifer Weinberg. The Mindfulness Diet: The Link Between Mindfulness, Blood Sugar, and Weight. The Choppra Centre. https://chopra.com/articles/the-mindfulness-diet-the-link-between-mindfulness-blood-sugar-and-weight
(3) Headspace. Mindful Eating. https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/mindful-eating