Mindfulness Meditation May Help With Anxiety, According to New Research

According to the results of a new study, meditation may help some people deal with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The results, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that some people who used this approach achieved results that were as effective as taking antidepressant medications. To achieve this type of benefit from the experience, a person would have to practice mindful meditation consistently. Mindfulness is not meditation, exactly. It’s an ability that people already possess but don’t practice enough in their everyday lives that entails being fully present and using all of the senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching). When someone is practicing mindfulness, they are allowing sensations to pass through without judgment in the present. This is about being fully present in each moment, without thinking about the past or the next thing that needs to be done, Sci Burg.

Anxiety is a byproduct of modern life.

Someone who’s feeling anxious is likely worried about things that have not yet taken place. There are many pressures in modern life that can cause stress, and the hustle and bustle of being constantly rushed is a recipe for feeling like there are never enough hours in the day. Eating a balanced diet, taking supplements to combat the effects of daily stress, and getting enough rest can help to combat this process, but it may not be enough. Anxiety can show up in someone’s life as worries about the future. Someone anxious may also appear moody, distracted, or angry. These are all signs that the person may be having issues with anxiety, and those issues rise to the level of needing to be addressed right away.

Slow down with mindfulness and reduce stress levels

Taking time to slow down and be fully in the moment with mindfulness meditation helps to relieve anxiety. This technique can be used anywhere a person has a few minutes alone. He or she can sit quietly and take a few deep breaths. Thoughts are welcomed without judgment or need to take immediate action on them for at least the session’s duration. The person returns his or her attention to breathing until the session is completed. The more often this technique is used, the more skillful the person who does it will become at using it to combat anxiety. It can be used to stay grounded in each moment, and stop the mind from jumping ahead, which is where anxiety “lives,” as it were. By staying firmly rooted in the present, it’s possible to be calmer, happier, and less anxious.