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Mindfulness practice

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Summary

  • Choose a focus, such as the breath. Notice mind wandering and return; bringing attention back is the practice.
  • Start at about five minutes; walk if sitting is hard.

Ways to apply

  1. On your own

    Free, no special equipment to buy

    1. Find a safe, quiet place. Set aside about five minutes, or start shorter if that feels too long.
    2. Focus on breathing sensations, such as air at the nostrils or the abdomen rising and falling.
    3. When you notice thoughts about something else, gently return to the breath without self-blame.
    4. If sitting is hard to sustain, walk slowly somewhere safe and focus on each foot meeting the ground.

Bringing attention back is part of the practice

Proposed in research

Practice does not require a mind completely free of thoughts. Mitchell and colleagues describe mindfulness training as focusing attention on an object, such as the breath. After noticing distraction, attention is brought back without self-blame. Repeatedly returning attention is itself central to the training(Mitchell et al., 2015).

Shorten the practice or walk if sitting is difficult

Proposed in research

Mindfulness courses adapted for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) start formal practice at about five minutes and gradually increase the duration. Courses also allow walking practice to help people who struggle to sit for long periods sustain their practice(Mitchell et al., 2015).

Symptom evidence comes from a full course alongside usual care

Research-backed

In a randomized trial with adults, researchers added eight weekly sessions of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to usual care. The course included meditation, psychoeducation, and group discussion. Compared with usual care alone, course participants had greater improvements in ADHD symptom scores. The improvement persisted at the six-month follow-up(Janssen et al., 2019).

Evidence

References (2)
  1. ReviewMindfulness Meditation Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adulthood: Current Empirical Support, Treatment Overview, and Future DirectionsMitchell JT, Zylowska L, Kollins SH (2015). Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
  2. Randomized trialMindfulness-based cognitive therapy v. treatment as usual in adults with ADHD: a multicentre, single-blind, randomised controlled trialJanssen L, Kan CC, Carpentier PJ, Sizoo B, Hepark S, Schellekens MPJ, Donders ART, Buitelaar JK, Speckens AEM (2019). Psychological Medicine