Written by Dr. Bhavya

Medically reviewed by Dr Godmi Tresa

Updated on February 06, 2025

How to Practice Mindfulness and Meditation for Mental Clarity and Wellness

"The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it" - Echart Tolle, Spiritual teacher and self-help author

Mindfulness and meditation are two holisitc practises that are increasingly being incorporated into mental health interventions in recent scientific settings - to reduce thoughts about unhappiness that gives you stress, anxiety, sleeplessness and more. 

Despite its benefits, only 4-6% of the world's population engages in regular meditation or other mindfulness practices. Nevertheless, this number is increasing day by day, thanks to the upcoming psychological understanding of this effective practice.

That is why, this article will share with you everything experts discuss about mindfulness and meditation for mental wellness.

Jump to section

How Did Mindfulness and Meditation Become the New Trend?

Mindfulness and mindful meditation are deeply rooted in Eastern health philosophies. 

  • Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine focuses on mindfulness on a daily basis - from waking up, consuming meals, exercising to even sleeping.
  • Traditional yoga, which is different from the current studio yoga, integrates mindful breathing and meditation as an integral part of life.

A holistic healthcare practice always adheres to the principle of mindfulness, focusing on mindful living, which is the idea of being fully present at every moment, without judgment.

However, the integration of mindfulness into modern psychology started developing completely in the late 20th century when Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn developed MBSR (MBSR is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction).

Today, this method is widespread and is a key part of modern psychiatry.

What Type of Mindfulness Practice is Best for You?

Well, to know what works best for you, you must know that there are different types of mindfulness practices! 

But first, what does mindfulness mean? 

The word mindfulness may be used to describe a psychological trait, a practice of cultivating mindfulness (e.g., mindfulness meditation), a mode or state of awareness, or a psychological process. Mindfulness is a miracle, not magic, but something that lets us change something within ourselves. 

The two core principles of mindfulness are -

  • Awareness
  • Non-judgemental acceptance

Mindfulness is an effective antidote against common forms of psychological distress - rumination, anxiety, worry, fear, anger - many of which involve the maladaptive tendencies to avoid, suppress, or over-engage with one's distressing thoughts and emotions. - Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, American Psychological Association

Mindfulness practices are of different types, but broadly put under or known under these three;

  • Mindful Meditation
  • Breathing Exercises
  • Mindful Movement

1. Mindful Meditation

Yes, meditation is one of the most widely practised mindfulness exercises. It is focused on training the mind to be present and aware. Some of the mindful meditation practices you may be aware of are;

  • Focused Attention Meditation - Here, the practice is to focus on a single object like the breath, a mantra, a sound. The ultimate goal is to build focus and concentration.  
  • Body Scan Meditation - A technique where attention is focused from one body part to the other, right from head to toe. This meditation practice helps you be aware of different physical sensations, stress, and tension and will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of your body. This meditation works the best if you have physical pain related to stress.
  • Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta) - This  type of mindfulness meditation is when you practice sending positive thoughts to self and others. It builds emotional well-being and improves social connections. It will also improve your feel of empathy and love towards others It reduces overall self-criticism led stress and anxiety.

Some well-known types of mindful meditation that considered as the subtypes of the three are;

  • Progressive muscle relaxation
  • Breath awareness meditation
  • Mantra-based meditation
  • Transcendental meditation
  • Mindfulness-based stress reduction
  • Guided meditation

2. Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are well known to connect your mind and body to a state of calm. Did you know that the way you breathe directly impacts your nervous system? This impact allows you to improve your mental stress.

  • Deep breathing like diaphragmatic or belly breathing influences the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), the system responsible for 'rest and digest' response of your body. When this system is activated, it triggers a response that reduces your stress hormones from releasing in excess. It will reduce your heart rate, blood pressure and a feel of anxiety.
  • When you practice deep breathing, it also stimulates your vagus nerve (the longest nerve in the body that connects your lower body to your brain ). This stimulation promotes calmness by balancing emotional regulation and producing a sense of clarity.

Practising Pranayama (Yogic Breathing) is one of the holistic tools commonly used in Ayurveda and Yoga to control your prana or life force. This means that by practising different types of controlled breathing techniques, you will be able to overcome body sensations related to mental wellness. 

3. Mindful Movement

You are well aware of how much yoga helps in producing clarity and calmness. One session of regular studio yoga practice helps you find a sense of balance within your whole body. Now, imagine adding mindfulness to this practice? 

The mindful-movement is the integration of different physical activities like yoga, tai chi, pilates etc, with mindfulness.

  • A traditional yogic practice becomes complete when you add meditative techniques with asana (poses), synchronising it with breath. This creates a flow of mindfulness in both body and mind. 
  • Practising tai chi, called 'meditation in motion', involves movement combined with breathing.

Practicing these mindful-movements reduces the symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. 

Did You Know?

Regular practice of yoga increases the levels of gamma- aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This chemical or neurotransmitter focuses on whole body relaxation. 

How Practising Mindfulness Reduces Stress and Anxiety to Improve Mental Health?

In the holistic healthcare system, mental and physical health are seen as an interconnected body system. 

“Any mental imbalance can manifest as physical ailments and any physical ailment can create an imbalance in mental well-being”, says Dr Abhirami, Senior Yoga Consultant at Nirva.

When your body is at stress, it experiences a chain of reactions, one after another such as, an increased heart rate, loss of mental clarity, a constant release of chemicals and much more. 

  • These reactions manifest into some acute symptoms like headache, increased blood pressure, nausea, cold hands and legs, dizziness and so on. 
  • When such stress manifests over a longer duration in your body, you experience chronic symptoms such as constant fatigue, cognitive decline, emotional reactivity, irritability, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, weight gain and even you may become susceptible to some physical health conditions.

That is why yoga and ayurveda philosophy focus on balancing Sattva, the quality of harmony and purity in the body. 

When you practice mindfulness, it helps you develop Sattva or a sattvic mindset. It includes calmness, clarity and emotional stability. 

The Impact of Mindfulness on the Brain Function

Several scientific studies have emerged explaining how mindfulness produces structural changes in your brain.

One intresting research study, which recorded the functional MRI (Magnetic resonance Imaging) changes in the brain of Buddhist meditators, saw major difference from the non-meditators. This difference was called the "Buddha's Brain" changes. The findings from the study suggest that over the course of practising meditation for tens of thousands of hours, the practitioners actually altered the structure and function of their brains.

"Meditation research, particularly in the last 10 years or so, has shown to be very promising because it points to an ability of the brain to change and optimise in a way we didn't know previously was possible." - BBC.

Meditation has a huge impact on two main parts of the brain.

1. Amygdala

Amygdala is the part in your brain, where emotions like fear and stress are processed. When you are anxious, this part becomes overactive.

  • However, when you practice regular meditation, the activity in the amygdala reduces. This helps your brain lower its emotional reactivity. 

2. Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex is the region in your brain that allows you to make proper decisions, regulate daily activities, and control emotions. 

  • When you practice meditation, the prefrontal cortex is able to strengthen the signalling between the amygdala and itself. This allows you to be more thoughtful and not react immediately to stressful triggers.

A study published in a PubMed indexed journal suggests that mindful meditation helps you rewire your brain for better emotional control by balancing the reactivity and connection between different parts of the brain.

Stress Hormone Regulation from Mindfulness

You must be well aware of the negative effects an imbalanced cortisol level can have on your body. 

If you are hearing it for the first time, then cortisol is the 'stress hormone'. It is a hormone that regulates the body's fight-or-flight reflex. This means that when you face something, like a person or situation, your reaction depends upon how your brain regulates the reaction and how much cortisol hormone is released into your bloodstream.

The level of cortisol in blood has a tremendous effect on the symptoms you see during stress reactions such as heart rate, mood, sweating, cold hands, shaking etc.

In the long run, an imbalance in cortisol can affect your digestion, immune system, thinking, memory, cardiac function and much more. 

How Does Mindfulness Help?

Mindfulness, especially meditation and breathwork, reduce cortisol levels. 

"Mindfulness meditation lowers the cortisol levels in the blood, suggesting that it can lower stress and may decrease the risk of diseases that arise from stress such as psychiatric disorder, peptic ulcer and migraine. " - Effects of mindfulness meditation on serum cortisol of medical students, PubMed.

When you practise mindfulness, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the network in the body that helps you relax). This activation counteracts the stress response triggered by the sympathetic nervous system (a system that pushes your body into being overactive. This shift change reduces the release of cortisol in your body.

Prolonged cortisol levels will lead to anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Find out more about the stress-busting secrets of cortisol reduction in this blog - Natural Solutions for Cortisol Reduction.

Starting with Small Steps Towards Mindfulness for Mental Wellness

Mindfulness or meditation can sound overwhelming for beginners. So, do not worry, Nirva will always be your helping hand in taking tiny steps towards a more mindful and stress-free life - one moment at a time.

Here are some tips for you to start.

1. Mindful Eating 

In between all those chaotic moments of the entire day, running from home to workplace, workplace to utility stores, and whatnot, your mind is always engaged in something or the other. So, make your meal time, your mindful time. Turn away from your phones, TV or computers and look at your plate. This sends a calmness through your mind, and at the same time builds a healthy relationship with your food.

2. Mindful Walking

Walking is essential, and everyone has become aware of the increasing health benefits of exercises like walking, jogging, running, etc. But, hardly a few know that talking, checking the phone, having coffee or something else while you walk will not help. Avoiding all these types of distractions when you walk is called 'mindful walking'. When you walk, feel the ground beneath your feet, focus on your body movement and absorb the environment around you. Be present.

3. Short Mindful Breathing

Whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed, taking short mindful breathing can help a lot. Have you ever tried it? Simply pause for a few moments and take deep conscious breaths. Pay attention to the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. You can practice this anytime, anywhere to bring calmness and help regulate your emotions.

4. Mindful Transition Between Tasks

Multitasking can make you overwhelmed. A study suggests that multitasking can temporarily decrease your IQ by upto 10 points and reduce productivity by 40%. That is because of the confusion and emotional turmoil it creates. Pausing and taking a deep  breath before starting any new task can help. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. This practise will help reset your focus and release your build-up stress.

5. Mindful Listening

Highly successful people claim that practising mindful meditation is one of the keys to their success.

Know more about the best athletes and Olympic champions who swear by mindfulness and meditation in this article - 8 Olympic Champions Who Meditate.

In these practices towards success, mindful listening is one of the factors they build. Engaging fully in a conversation with others by actively listening instead of thinking about your response is the way to focus. This deepens your brain connections and connections with others.

6. Mindful Technology Use

This is something everyone must practice in today's era. Try to set an intention before engaging in your phone or computer. Be conscious of how much time you spend on these-for checking emails, reading news or social media scrolling. Avoid mindless browsing.

If you are a techie, then take 'tech breaks' where you step away from technology throughout the day and reconnect with the surroundings. This will reduce the overstimulation of your triggers.

5. Mindful Commute

Whenever you travel, may it be during vacations or for work, try to keep your screens down and absorb the surroundings around you. Notice the sight, sounds, smells and how your body feels during the journey. This will definitely help reduce your stress.

6. Mindful Journaling

Journaling is not a chore. It's something which is necessary for everyone. To write what you feel is like talking to a dear friend who will always listen to you. Spend at least 5 to 10 minutes a day to express your emotions. To the end of it, write down one good thing about which you are thankful that day. This will help you focus on the positive aspects of life.

7. Mindful breathing Before Sleeping

Practice a few minutes of deep breathing, by just concentrating on your breaths to calm your nervous system. This also helps in improving your sleep by reducing cortisol and elevating melatonin (sleep hormone) for a good night sleep.

Summary

Mindfulness and meditation are one of the most trending and effective methods you can practice to improve your mental health. The best thing is that it is cost-free.

Adding just a few minutes of mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine will have a large impact on your stress focus and emotional regulation. 

Simply start where you are and build a practice - focusing on your self-care.

Nothing is more important than yourself and your health.

Personalise Your Holistic Wellness!

Schedule a consultation
avatar

Dr. Bhavya

She offers a holistic approach to healing that focuses on the interplay between the body, mind, and spirit. Her expertise in these areas allows her to provide comprehensive care for various conditions, from musculoskeletal disorders to stress-related illnesses. She is dedicated to empowering women to take control of their health and well-being. Her proactive approach to healthcare emphasises the importance of preventive measures and natural remedies.