In a recent study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton have revealed that engaging in just 10 minutes of mindfulness practice daily can enhance well-being, alleviate depression and anxiety, and boost motivation to make positive lifestyle changes, such as adopting healthier exercise, eating, and sleeping habits.
The research enrolled 1247 adults from 91 countries. It demonstrates that brief daily mindfulness sessions, delivered through a free mobile app called Medito, can have profound benefits.
Most participants had no prior experience with mindfulness. They were randomly assigned to either a month-long mindfulness routine or a control condition, which involved listening to excerpts from Alice in Wonderland. The daily mindfulness sessions included relaxation exercises, intention-setting, body scans, breath-focused attention, and self-reflection.
Before beginning the 30 days of mindfulness training and after completing it, the participants filled out surveys about their mental health. The results were remarkable. Participants who used the mindfulness app reported the following changes:
- Reduced Depression by 19.2% more than the control group.
- Improved Well-being by 6.9% more.
- Decreased Anxiety by 12.6% more.
- Attitudes to Health got more Positive by 7.1% over the control group.
- Behavioural Intentions to look after Health increased by 6.5% beyond control.
The positive effects of mindfulness were largely maintained after 30 days. In survey follow-ups one month later (Day 61), the mindfulness group showed sustained improvements in their well-being, depression, and attitudes and even reported better sleep quality.
In their feedback, participants highlighted numerous benefits from the mindfulness practice:
“Awareness, self-control, gratitude, I am more patient, and I take more joy from the present moment.”
“Clear mind. Feeling like everything’s under control and I’ll be able to do what I set my mind to.”
“After completing these meditation sessions, I have gained a better understanding of the function of my mind. They have helped me gain insight into many things and have shown me a different lens through which to view the world. Words that come to mind: helpful, insightful, and motivational.”
Excitingly, this trial was one of the first to show that mindfulness’s well-being and mental health benefits could arise from the changes to lifestyle behaviors it encourages. This highlights the potential of mindfulness practice for promoting healthier living, such as encouraging regular exercise. The research team is eager to explore this further.