Recent US research has shown that people who are consciously mindful (being consciously and non-judgementally aware of the present moment) have more balanced emotions and have better control of their mood and actions.
A study team from the University of Utah also found that higher levels of emotional stability during the day may also lead to better sleep.
Whereas previous studies of mindfulness have been based around participants trained in mindfulness, the new Utah study was designed to gauge ‘naturally-occurring traits of mindfulness’.
For the study, 38 subjects ranging in age from 20 to 45 years wore a monitor to measure cardiac function, and over the two-day study duration were asked to rate their emotional and mental state.
Graduate student Holly Rau, who was involved in the research, said ‘This study gives us a better understanding of how mindfulness affects stress responses throughout the day. People who reported higher levels of mindfulness described better control over their emotions and behaviours during the day. In addition, higher mindfulness was associated with lower activation at bedtime, which could have benefits for sleep quality and future ability to manage stress.
Source: Medical News Today
