Mindfulness means paying attention to what's happening right now, in your body, in your thoughts and around you, without immediately judging it. You can practice it sitting in silence, but also in the middle of everyday life: while you wash the dishes, walk or brush your teeth.
The research gives an honest picture. A review in JAMA Internal Medicine of 47 randomized trials found moderate evidence that mindfulness programs reduced anxiety, depression and pain, but the effects were small to moderate. And there was no evidence that mindfulness was better than other active treatments, such as exercise or medication. It's one tool among several, not a fix for everything.
Pick a way to start:
- Sitting practice if you want a set time.
- In everyday life if you can't find the time.
- Three breaths if you want to break out of autopilot.
- An eight-week program if you want to go further.
A first step today: pick one thing you do every day, like brushing your teeth, and do it with full attention tomorrow.
Mindfulness doesn't replace professional care. If you've been feeling low for weeks, talk to a doctor or health professional.
Mindfulness means paying attention to what's happening right now, in your body, in your thoughts and around you, without immediately judging it. It sounds simple, but most of the day runs on autopilot: we eat while reading, walk while planning, listen while thinking about what to say back. This article explains what mindfulness is, what the research says it helps with and what it doesn't, four ways to practice, and where the line is when you need professional help. How mindfulness relates to other kinds of meditation is covered in different types of meditation.
What mindfulness is
The word is a translation of a concept from Buddhist tradition, but mindfulness as it's practiced today is usually free of religion. At its core are two things: noticing what's happening, and meeting it with curiosity instead of immediately evaluating it. An anxious thought becomes "there's an anxious thought," not "everything's going wrong."
That doesn't mean you have to be calm all the time or stop thinking. The thoughts will come anyway. The practice is to notice them and choose where your attention goes, instead of getting swept along. The same skill is what lets you ride out a craving instead of giving in to it, which is what urge surfing is about.
What the research shows, and what it doesn't
Mindfulness has been marketed as the answer to almost everything. In 2014, Goyal and colleagues reviewed the research in JAMA Internal Medicine. Out of more than 18,000 search results, they selected 47 randomized trials with 3,515 participants in which meditation programs were compared with an active control group, meaning not just with doing nothing.
They found moderate evidence that mindfulness programs reduced anxiety, depression and pain, and weaker evidence for reduced stress and better quality of life. The effects were small to moderate. For mood, attention, sleep, eating and weight, there was too little evidence to say anything. And the researchers found no evidence that the meditation programs were better than other active treatments, such as medication, exercise or other behavioral therapies.
What this means is that mindfulness can help, roughly as much as other good things you can do. That's a good reason to try it, and a reason not to abandon other things that are already helping.
Four ways to practice mindfulness
Choose based on what your day looks like.
Sitting practice. For you if you want a set time. Sit comfortably for ten minutes and let your attention rest on your breathing. When your thoughts wander, notice it and gently bring your attention back. First step: set a timer for ten minutes tomorrow morning and sit once.
In everyday life. For you if you can't find time to sit. Pick something you already do every day, like brushing your teeth, washing the dishes or walking to the bus, and do it with full attention: how it feels, sounds, smells. First step: choose the activity today and do it mindfully tomorrow.
Three breaths. For you if you want to break out of autopilot during the day. Before you open your phone, answer an email or walk into a meeting: pause and take three calm breaths, and notice how your body feels. First step: do it today every time you pick up your phone.
An eight-week program. For you if you want to go further, and it's the most demanding route. Many of the studies looked at eight-week programs, with one session a week and daily practice at home, often with a teacher and in a group. Courses like these are available in many countries. First step: look up a course near you and see when the next one starts.
When mindfulness isn't enough
Mindfulness is a way to train attention, not a stand-alone treatment for mental illness. If you've been feeling low or anxious for several weeks, are sleeping badly or can't manage what you usually can, talk to a doctor or health professional. If it's an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Meditation can also sometimes stir up difficult memories and feelings. That isn't dangerous in itself, but if they don't let go, take a break and talk to someone you trust.
A first step today: pick one thing you do every day, like brushing your teeth, and do it with full attention tomorrow.
Noticing the good is a practice in the same spirit, and the next part of the series is about keeping a gratitude journal.
This is the understanding and a first step. Atlas is where it becomes a habit. If you add Faith & spirituality as its own area, you'll find Silence, ten minutes where you come back without judging yourself, as a suggestion you can make your own. Under Inner State, there's Calm breathing, five calm breaths in time with a circle. Try Atlas free for 7 days, and cancel whenever you want.