It’s easy to research facts about mindfulness, and it’s even easier to understand the concept.
Practicing it daily is where it gets hard.
Trying to teach it to others can feel impossible.
When practicing mindfulness, we set ourselves in the present moment, experiencing the world around us without pride or judgment.
We repeat, “Let go of any attachment you have..” through internal or spoken dialogue.
While the art of mindfulness dates back 2,500 years, with each evolution of research, education, and experience, we learn more about the power unleashed by mindfulness.
21 Positive Mindfulness Facts Every Practitioner Will Be Happy To Know
Mindfulness statistics sound about as Buddha-like as a yoga symposium.
People thrive on practicing mindfulness and don’t always want to dig into the data that supports it.Â
What’s missing from your practice are the new facts evolving through the brilliant minds of educational institutions and ongoing research.
You aren’t just practicing a concept; you are changing your life for the better. Science says so.
1. There’s an app for that.
We are inundated with app suggestions through every social media channel, but how do you know which mindfulness app will give you the facts about mindfulness to expand your practice?
One of the most research-based apps comes from our fellow practitioners at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center.
Through this app, you get:
- Meditations with a built-in timer to respect your practice and busy life.
- Specific meditations to ease any mental health issue you’re facing.
- Weekly podcasts reveal the latest statistics on meditation and enhance your knowledge of the evolving craft.
2. There’s a hidden workout in meditation.
The human brain needs as much exercise as our muscles, and meditation doesn’t just soothe the soul.
A university study showed that just 15 minutes of mindfulness gives the same benefit as 15 minutes of physical activity and improves mood and cognition.
You can also help keep your mind from wandering while trying to focus with just a 12-minute mindfulness practice.
3. There’s a benefit that reduces stress long-term.
Sure, science backs up that practicing meditation is a great way to relieve stress in the moment.
New facts about mindfulness show the physical impact your practice can have on critical parts of your brain.
- Shrinks the street-inducing part of your brain, known as the amygdala
- Thickens the part of the brain where emotions, organization, and problem-solving happen.
- Increased skills for memory and learning ability as the hippocampus thickens after regular practice.
4. There’s a place for mindfulness practice in children’s lives.
A CDC study found that in the five years between 2012 and 2017, the use of meditation among children 4-17 years old went up 900%.
The use of yoga was up 250%. Twice as many girls used yoga as boys. These facts about mindfulness can help you teach younger people the benefits, so it can become a habit earlier in life.
5. There’s a growing job market for practitioners.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists “Fitness Trainers and Instructors,” which include yogis and mindfulness mentors, as a profession growing “much faster than average” between 2021 and 2031.
Another benefit of this growing job market is that it can be a full-time commitment or part-time.
6. Mindfulness statistics are showing up in many new places.
Even the Bureau of Labor Statistics is going past the facts about mindfulness into the reasoning behind it and its benefits. This shift is something that likely wouldn’t have happened 20 years ago.
With official research on this topic, instead of niche projects with lower validity rates, we can really see the impacts meditation, yoga, and mindfulness practice can have on society as a whole.
7. Mindfulness practice can help you live longer.
We’re not just talking about the physical health benefits of a downward dog or goddess pose. As we all age, there will be certain non-negotiable aspects, like wrinkles or limited mobility.
A study in 2017 found that an average American worker will be more willing to accept all aspects of aging and have a better mindset in their middle-aged and golden years.
8. Mindfulness statistics show it’s a great way to cope with chaos.
The pandemic sent just about everyone into a mental spiral, whether from isolation, extended work hours, or overall anxiety about the disease.
When life throws us challenges, including mindfulness practices, it can help us better cope with the moment.
9. Mindfulness practices can also help you sleep better at night during stressful times.
It’s hard enough to get a good night’s sleep when our lives are so busy. Add in a crisis or ongoing relationship issue, and we can spend many nights trying to will our bodies to get rest.
When you regularly practice mindfulness during your waking hours or right before bedtime, you have a higher chance of sleeping longer and getting a better quality of sleep.
10. Online mindfulness options are just as effective as in-person programs.
The advent of worldwide access to research and information has improved our ability to learn and grow but is also positively impacting mindfulness statistics and studies.
Online options have comparable effects to face-to-face practices for people who don’t have the finances or motivation to seek help in an office or group setting.
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11. Meditation brings help to cancer diagnosis in children.
Children’s brains aren’t always developed enough to understand what cancer is and what it means for the future. It can cause panic and anxiety that could last into adulthood, should the child beat cancer.
A 2022 study of children diagnosed with cancer who practiced meditation showed their brain activity through MRI technology.
The benefits of meditation were reported to outweigh other adapting techniques, like distractions from the diagnoses.
12. Mindfulness can be an added tool in addiction therapy.
Are you a part-time smoker wanting to kick the habit or dealing with a long-standing substance addiction challenge?
Statistics show that meditation can limit every obstacle related to abuse issues.
Not only will the practice help with cravings, self-control, and compulsions, but it can also foster a positive emotional outlook during the withdrawal.
13. Frustrated at work? Mindfulness practices can help.
There are so many things an average worker can’t control in the workplace, so focus on what you can change.
A study on workplace employees who practiced mindfulness in a group setting or solo revealed that it positively impacted employees in the most common work stress categories. It can also help avoid that afternoon slump.
14. Mindfulness practices can help bring “Peace in Schools.”
Mindful practice is available as a curriculum in high schools through the Peace in Schools program. Students listed more than a dozen ways the approach helps them cope with the challenges of high school.
The practice also allows educators to be better prepared to help students with social or emotional issues.
15. Being mindful of meals can help with eating disorders or managing diets for those with diabetes.
Statistics on meditation show a marked improvement among regular practitioners, but did you know you can also be mindful when eating?
Taking the time to examine food choices and be present at the moment of meals helps us feel the “full feeling” instead of emotional for emotional salvation. Better food choices can help avoid other health issues that could develop down the road.
16. You can do mindfulness exercises anytime, anywhere.
We think of meditation and mindfulness occurring while in Lotus pose while on our favorite yoga mat. The truth is, you can follow this practice while sitting in traffic or as you prepare lunch for the kids.
Mindfulness, at its core, is just being aware of the present moment and experiencing all the sensations.
Don’t worry about what happened yesterday or how stressful the day might be.
Enjoy the smell of peanut butter, the sound of your favorite song, and the beauty of the sky as you sit in traffic – there are always ways to strip off the emotion of an event and just be in the moment.
17. Mindful sex can help you enjoy intimacy even more.
When we are with our intimate partners, we can get caught up in how we appear to the other person, what imperfections we have, and if the other person is having a good time.
It can pull us away from intimacy if we don’t feel good about ourselves or are “too stressed for sex.”
Perhaps just as much as “fight or flight,” we are never more aware of the natural physical impacts our bodies experience during sexual intercourse or foreplay.
Enjoy the moment and every little sensation without judgment or self-criticism.
18. Your pet can help you be more mindful.
In fact, you might be practicing mindfulness and not even realize it! Have you ever sat with your dog and stared into its eyes or enjoyed the smooth feeling of its hair against your hand?
At that moment, it felt like the rest of the world melted away, and you were one with your pup or kitty. Yep. That’s mindfulness!
19. Even cynics have a place in mindful practices.
Mindfulness for Cynics is a book that gets rave reviews for those who aren’t sold on “the thought of becoming an enlightened, at-one-with-the-universe inner-light seeker.”
Author Nick Thawley states, “You don’t have to be a hippy to be happy,” and even one cynical reviewer states, “This book is fantastic! Say goodbye to your cynicism; Nick Thawley will change your perspective on mindfulness for the better (and will make you laugh out loud numerous times in the process).”
20. Mindful meditation can help you become more empathetic.
We can easily become desensitized to triggers in life and be labeled bad friends or relatives for not feeling empathy as much as those around us.
Compassion meditation helps practitioners be aware of their own fears that might block them from approaching others in crisis but also allows them to better connect in the moment with their loved ones.
21. We might never know all the facts about mindfulness and its benefits for the brain.
You’ve heard the saying, “We only use 10% of our brains,” right? The truth is, we really only understand the functions and actions of 10% of our brains, and that 10% of the understanding comes from the best researchers on the planet.
On top of that – and this might make your head spin – how can humans better understand the human brain when it’s the human brain being used to process information?
Final Thoughts
It has only been since the 1970s that mindfulness has made it to mainstream America, with a boost in the 2000s.
We still don’t know the full power it can unleash, but we know there are dozens of benefits just by focusing on this moment. Mindfulness statistics can even negate each other, so don’t get too caught up in the numbers.
Simply take a moment as we wrap up here, and spend 60 seconds observing the sights, smells, and sounds of your surroundings without assigning “good” or “bad” to anything.
