Mindfulness meditation involves deliberately focusing attention on the present moment, typically on the breath or bodily sensations, and noticing when the mind wanders without judging yourself for it, then returning attention to the focus point. The practice is not about achieving a particular state. It is about developing the ability to notice your mental states with a bit more space around them.
A widely cited Harvard study found that an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program was associated with increased gray matter density in the hippocampus and decreased gray matter in the amygdala, the brain's primary stress and fear-response region. These are detectable changes on MRI. A major 2014 meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation programs showed moderate evidence for improvement of anxiety, depression, and pain comparable to antidepressant medication for mild to moderate depression.
The duration needed to get measurable benefits is accessible. Most research uses an 8-week program format, but studies have found benefits from as little as 10 to 15 minutes per day of consistent practice. Five minutes every day is more beneficial than 45 minutes once a week.
How to Actually Start
- Start with 5 minutes, literally just 5 minutes of focused breathing
- Headspace and Calm apps have good beginner guided meditations
- YouTube has equally good free options
- Body scan meditation is particularly good for stress and sleep
- Insight Timer app has thousands of free guided meditations
References
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