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Mindfulness for Mental Health
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is taking time to focus on the present moment, giving our minds a bit of a break from the business and stresses of everyday life. There are many ways to practice mindfulness, just find one that works for you!
Why should I practice mindfulness?
Reduces Stress & Anxiety
Mindfulness calms the nervous system and lowers stress levels, helping you feel more grounded.
Supports Emotional Balance
It teaches us to notice thoughts and feelings without judgment, making it easier to respond calmly.
Boosts Mental Resilience
Regular practice builds coping skills, so you can handle life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
Improves Overall Health
Better sleep, lower blood pressure, and improved focus are just some of the physical benefits that support mental wellbeing.
How can I practice mindfulness?
Some ways to practice mindfulness are:
Meditation
We have a follow-along video below or you can download a free meditation app like Insight timer.
Mindful breathing
Just taking a moment to focus on the sensation of the breath can be a powerful tool to help ground you in the present moment. Check out the follow along video below for box breathing .
Going for a walk in nature
Getting out and breathing in the fresh air is a great way to feel grounded. Think about what you can notice around you, like the colours of the trees, the sound of the birds.
Focusing on the five senses
See, feel, hear, smell, taste – drawing your attention to things that you can sense around you, helps to bring your focus away from busy or stressful thoughts – check out our 5-4-3-2-1 exercise below.
2-Minute Breathwork: Box Breathing
Taking a moment to focus on the breath can help to ground us in the present moment. This quick breathwork is great for if you are feeling a little bit stressed or anxious, or just want to take a moment to reconnect with yourself and your breath – you can do this breathwork wherever you are, any time you need it.
5-Minute Body Scan Meditation
This guided meditation is great for when you need to take a moment for yourself, it can even be done before sleep if you need a little extra help winding down. This meditation can be done sitting or laying, wherever is comfortable for you.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
This exercise can be done wherever you are right now.
Take a moment to focus on each of the senses in turn – see, feel, hear, smell, taste.
See
Take a look around the space you are in, name 5 things that you can see. This could be people, animals, colours and shapes.
Feel
Name 4 things that you can feel. Can you feel the texture of your clothes against your skin, or the temperature of the air around you? Take a moment to touch your thumb against each of your fingers in turn.
Hear
What can you hear? Name 3 things that you can hear. Listen carefully for things that might be far away and start to notice sounds that are closer.
Smell
Name 2 things that you can smell. Notice how your clothes and hair might smell slightly different to each other.
Taste
Lastly, name 1 thing that you can taste.