In recent years, the practice of mindfulness it has become an essential part of psychological well-being for many people, helping to reduce stress, improve concentration and promote greater emotional balance.
But what makes mindfulness so effective? The benefits of this practice on the mind and body are numerous, and also demonstrated by science:
- Improves stress management, teaching you to recognize negative thoughts without getting carried away by them and helping to reduce the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body, promoting greater inner calm
- Increases self-awareness, helping people develop greater self-reflection, improving their understanding of their thoughts, emotions and behaviours
- Improves memory and cognitive abilities – including working memory, thanks to greater concentration and reduction of distraction: a study by Harvard Medical School has shown that mindfulness can even stimulate the growth of new neural connections
- Promotes emotional resilience, helping to regulate emotions, teaching not to react impulsively but to manage difficult situations with greater balance and clarity
- Promotes better sleep, reducing obsessive thoughts and anxiety that disturb sleep and improving the quality of night’s rest
- Reduces symptoms of depression, helping to fight the so-called mental ruminationa process that can exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Promotes physical well-being, lowering blood pressure, improving immune function and contributing to better management of chronic pain.
In short, the benefits of this ancient practice on the quality of our life are truly many – and they are not only valid for us “adults”: in fact, although mindfulness is commonly associated with adults, it is also possible to involve children in the practice.
Numerous scientific studies have explored the benefits of mindfulness in childrenand the results are promising. In particular, this practice has proven useful for improving attention (for example, at school), reducing anxiety and promoting more balanced and resilient behavior.
A study conducted in the United States, in particular, demonstrated that children who participated in mindfulness programs had an increase in concentration skills and a reduction in anxiety levels compared to their peers who did not practice mindfulness.
Another research, published in Journal of Applied School Psychologyhighlighted that children who participate in mindfulness sessions in the classroom demonstrate greater emotional regulation and a reduction in angry outbursts.
Teaching mindfulness to children
Initiating children into mindfulness requires a creative and delicate approach – as well as a good dose of patience and understanding: it is not easy to push the little ones to stay still and silent, even for just a few minutes, to allow the mind to take root in the here and now.
It is essential, therefore, to make the practice fun and accessible, integrating it into daily activities without forcing. Here are some tips to get started:
- Start with breathing exercises. One of the simplest ways to introduce children to mindfulness is through breathing exercises: asking them to focus on their breathing, counting breaths or imagining blowing up a balloon can be a good start
- Use the game. Integrating mindfulness into games and activities can make the practice more engaging for children: for example, you can play listening games, asking children to close their eyes and identify the sounds or scents around them.
- Create a routine. Establishing a fixed time of day to practice mindfulness – such as before going to bed, in the morning before entering class or before starting homework – can help make this habit part of their daily routine
- Encourage gratitude. A useful exercise for children is to reflect on three things they are grateful for every day, to start cultivating a positive and conscious attitude: for this purpose, we can also create a gratitude jar (we talked about it in this article).
By integrating these simple mindfulness practices into our daily routine, we can help little ones grow with greater balance, concentration and serenity.
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