Mindfulness: What is it and how can your loved ones practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of therapeutic practice where you are encouraged to be fully aware of your presence in the moment. This practice has been used to manage and accept thoughts, ideas and feelings. The benefits of participating in mindfulness practices is to improve your emotional and physical well being, which has been used to ease stress, depression, anxiety and chronic pain and also improve concentration.

Partaking in mindfulness focuses your loved one’s attention on their capabilities as opposed to their difficulties, which is highly relevant to those who are more likely to experience physical health problems with associated psychological issues, such as reduced mobility and depression. This meeting of the mind and body with mindfulness practices is helpful in empowering your loved ones to feel more engaged about their care.

Myageingparent.com has recommended some exercises for your loved ones to practice mindfulness.

Basic Mindfulness meditation

Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness as it helps the mind narrow on the sensations of being in the present moment.

Here is a simple exercise of how to meditate:

1. Sit straight on a straight backed chair or cross legged on the floor.
2. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Feel the sensations of the air flow into your nostrils and out of your mouth, your belly rising and falling through inhaling and exhaling.
3. After you concentrate on your breathing, focus on the sounds around you, sensations and your ideas.
4. Go deeper into your thought or sensation, without judging it as either good or bad. If your mind starts to run and you’re getting distracted, focus back onto the breathing exercise again.

Find out more benefits for meditation for your loved ones.

Simple ways to practice mindfulness during your daily routine

There are moments where your loved ones will find it difficult to stay within the present moment. Incorporating mindfulness tactics within your loved one’s daily activities can open them up to practicing mindfulness.

Here are some simple ways to practice mindfulness during your loved one’s daily routine:

• Before you start your task, focus your attention to the sensations in your body.
• Breathe in from your nose, allowing the air to travel downwards into your lower belly. Let your abdomen fully expand.
• Breathe out through your mouth.
• Feel the movement of each inhale and exhale.
• Proceed with working on your task, completely initiating it.
• Be aware of each sight, touch and sound so that you can engage with your senses completely.
• If your mind starts to run, bring your attention back to the sensations of the moment.

Mindfulness typically requires 5 minutes up to an hour every day. By drawing your loved one’s attention of being in the present moment, this can be used to help ease their stress, depression, anxiety and chronic pain and also empower them to feel more engaged about their care.

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