Research Mindfulness Training

There is a substantial body of research showing that mindfulness practice can be beneficial to mental and physical health. The following is taken from an article in Psychology Today, titled "10 Ways Mindfulness and Meditation Promote Well-Being" by Christopher Bergland

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Research into the Health Benefits of Mindfulness Practice for Individuals:

• Enhances Brain Performance Research from Norway and Australia in 2014 showed the enhanced effect of non-directive meditation on memory retrieval.

• Promotes Creative Thinking A study from Holland in 2014 showed meditation can increase creative thinking even for those new to meditation.

• Alleviates Stress A 2012 study from Massachusetts found that participating in an 8-week meditation training program had positive effects on how the amygdala responded to stress—even when someone is not actively meditating.

• Curtails Anxiety A 2014 study from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that 30 minutes of meditation daily could improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

• Increases Compassion A 2013 study from America found that meditation made people more willing to act compassionately even when doing so went against peer pressure.

• Decreases Likelihood of Depression A 2013 study in Belgium found a reduced likelihood of depression in adolescents and showed that mindfulness can also protect against its future development.

• Minimises Chronic Pain A 2015 study by the American Pain Society found that meditation can be an effective treatment for reducing chronic neck pain and concluded that meditation has unique benefits for producing pain relief and for pain coping.

• Lowers Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke In 2012 the American Heart Association reported that people who practiced meditation regularly were less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, lowered their blood pressure and reported less anger and stress. 

• Helps Cancer Recovery A 2011 study found that breast cancer survivors' health improved after they learned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). A 2014 study with teenagers found that mindfulness-based meditation reduced symptoms associated with cancer and was helpful in improving mood and sleep.

• Relieves Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder A 2013 study at the University of Michigan found that an 8-week mindfulness course helped veterans with combat-related PTSD to relieve their symptoms.