Written by Cassi Haggard, Staff Writer

As you age, changes and challenges can lead to increased stress and anxiety. Sometimes the cause is a medical diagnosis, but there are other lifestyle factors that may affect your mental and physical health. It’s important to find ways to reduce your stress to help support your emotional and mental well-being. Mindfulness exercises are a powerful tool that can help decrease stress.

What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness?

Often people use these terms interchangeably, but meditation and mindfulness are not the same thing. They are tools that can be used together to help your mental health.

·       Practicing mindfulness is when you’re aware of your internal state, observing your mental and physical wellbeing, as well as your surroundings.¹

·       Meditation can be used in conjunction with mindfulness. When meditating, you focus on one thing which might be your body, your breath or a mantra.² A mantra is phrase or idea based on what you want to feel such as “I am enough” or “Let it be.”  

What are the benefits?

Studies have shown that there are many benefits to mindfulness and meditation, including improving the ability to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. It could also help manage high blood pressure and pain.² Working with your doctor, you can incorporate mindfulness into treatment plans to help improve your overall health.

In addition to decreasing stress, mindfulness may help with memory, focus, cognitive flexibility, and improve satisfaction in your relationships.³

Five Simple Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness exercises are something anyone can do and fit easily into your daily routine. Most of the exercises below require nothing more than a notebook or a comfortable spot in your home. There are countless ways to practice mindfulness and it’s important to find out what works best for you.

Keep a gratitude journal

Focusing on thankfulness can decrease stress and help you live a happier life.⁴ Keeping a journal focused on positive thoughts, rather than writing about negative experiences, may further improve mental health.⁵ You can use a simple notebook, word document, or purchase a pre-made gratitude journal.

Mindful breathing

Have you ever focused on your breathing? This is an easy practice that can be done anywhere and can be useful in a stressful situation. Find a comfortable position, either sitting or standing. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. If your mind wanders, try counting while you inhale and exhale to help bring focus back to your breathing. Do this several times.⁶ It may be helpful to set a timer for your session or practice breathing until you feel relaxed.

Meditation

Even though mindfulness and meditation are not the same, meditation can be part of your mindfulness practice. Numerous studies have shown physical and mental benefits to meditation, including helping with chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.⁷ There are several kinds of meditation. Here are two types that help with mindfulness:

• Mantra meditations – Repeat a calming thought or phrase to help with stress.
• Guided meditations – A visualization focused meditation led by a guide or teacher. We have several guided meditations available on our website:
  •  Kindness Meditation
  • Reflection Meditation
  • Deep Breathing Meditation
  • Gratitude Meditation

Spend time outdoors

Spending only 20 minutes in nature can decrease stress hormones.⁸ There are many ways to enjoy nature, and it can easily be a mindful experience. For example, listen to the sounds of birds and leaves instead of listening to music next time you’re on a walk. Visually observe what you’re seeing, from the moss on the trees to the tiniest wildflowers. The act of observation is a simple mindfulness practice.

Body Scan

This is a mindful exercise where you connect your body, paying attention to the sensations and cues.⁹ Body scanning may help you notice anything different with your body physically or any changes to your emotions. The key to doing a body scan is getting comfortable, focusing on the sensations of your body, and slowly scanning from head-to-toe. Acknowledge any new or surprising feelings before completing the scan. You can always address any concerns with your healthcare provider.

Final Thoughts

Taking time to focus on mindfulness may help your mental health. Countless studies show a connection between mindfulness and decreased stress. Start small and be patient with yourself. If a 30-minute meditation requires too much focus, try a shorter time frame. If journaling isn’t your thing, focus on a different exercise. What’s most important is finding what works for you and adding those exercises to your well-being routine.

Results take time, so give yourself several weeks before deciding if a mindfulness exercise is working. In a stressful world, it’s important to find techniques that improve your mental health, decrease anxiety, and help you live a happier life.

Sources

• American Psychological Association. “Mindfulness.” APA Dictionary of Psychology, https://dictionary.apa.org/mindfulness. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress.” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Davis, Daphne M. and Jeffrey A. Hayes, PhD. “What are the benefits of mindfulness.” Monitor on Psychology, vol. 43, no. 7, July/Aug. 2012, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Brown, Joshua and Joel Wong. “How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain.” Greater Good Magazine, 6 June 2017, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Wong, Y. Joel, et al. “Does Gratitude Writing Improve the Mental Health of Psychotherapy Clients? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Psychotherapy Research, vol. 28, no. 2, 2018, pp. 192–202, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10503307.2016.1169332. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• NHS. “Breathing Exercises for Stress.” National Health Service (UK), https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Powell, Alvin. “When science meets mindfulness.” Harvard Gazette, 9 Apr. 2018, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Harvard Health Publishing. “A 20-Minute Nature Break Relieves Stress.” Harvard Health, 1 Jul. 2019, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-20-minute-nature-break-relieves-stress. Accessed 13 May 2025.
• Raypole, Crystal. “How to Do a Body Scan Meditation (and Why You Should)” Healthline, 5 Dec. 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/body-scan-meditation. Accessed 13 May 2025.