How mindfulness reduces stress?

Mindfulness practice is trending in recent years as more and more people become aware of the skill. This newfound mainstream fame is due in part to accessibility. Anyone anywhere can practice mindfulness. The practice is secular or non-religious, appealing to those who find meditation or prayerless attractive for religious reasons. The scientific community has begun researching and publishing data about the effects of mindfulness, which increases its appeal for people looking for solutions to problems, including stress.

Research has shown mindfulness to be a helpful tool for managing stress, supporting depression, healing from anxiety, and more. At the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program, or MBSR, has been underway for decades, helping people with all sorts of issues.

There are multiple theories about stress and how it develops mentally and emotionally. Events and circumstances may naturally give rise to stress. The stress response cycle or fight-flight response is meant to close out once the stress passes, but for those with certain issues like anxiety, or prior trauma, this may not be so simple. Thinking patterns, brain chemistry and structure, and prior trauma can play a role in the stress level that a person experiences.

Studies conducted on the effectiveness of mindfulness practices have revealed interesting changes in the brains of people who follow a mindful practice. The amygdala is a part of the brain that is responsible for detecting threats in our environments. For people with trauma or anxiety, this part of the brain may be more active than it is in others. Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI has shown that mindfulness is related to a decrease in the overall size of the amygdala. Other imaging studies have shown that the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking, becomes larger, which may support the brain’s ability to down-regulate following activation of the stress response cycle. It may also make it easier for people to think clearly about and through stressful situations.

If you’re experiencing stress and want to start a mindfulness practice, talk with a therapist trained in mindfulness or seek out a mindfulness coach. There are free apps, videos, and online courses designed to support you in learning mindfulness and developing a practice.