One of the secrets to longevity shared by centenarians is living a stress-free, happy, and purposeful life. Instead of sleepwalking through life, being mindful of life’s pursuits and taking some time for personal well-being can go a long way toward increasing longevity. Even a few minutes of mindfulness can be beneficial for cognitive health and can bring about positive psychological changes.
Even though stress has become a part of your life, it can be easier to cope with when you’re more mindful. In a study published in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy , psychology researchers found that people who received MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) were less likely to respond with negative thoughts or unhelpful emotional responses during times of stress.
Here are some mindfulness habits that can transform your well-being and help you live longer:
1. MEDITATION
By meditating, you focus your attention on your inner world and get away from the outside world for a while, achieving a sense of calm and peace. In this case, it becomes easier to cope with anxiety and stress, and this even has a positive effect on your physical health.
People who meditate regularly live longer. According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, meditation has potentially beneficial effects on plasma telomerase levels, which are linked to longevity and delayed cellular aging.
2. AWARENESS
Having a toxic relationship with food can be detrimental to your health as it can lead to emotional eating or mindless eating. Having a positive relationship with food means paying attention to whether you are hungry or not and savoring every bite of your food.
Mindful eating is all about paying full attention to your food and savoring every bite. Savoring and savoring the aroma of a freshly prepared meal, and understanding your body’s cues for when to stop, are all things mindful eaters do. This type of eating is associated with good digestion, satiety, weight loss, and relaxation.
3. BEING IN THE FLOW
Being in flow can be extremely rewarding and can boost your well-being. Flow occurs when you become completely focused on a task or a chore, losing your sense of self and time, and finding activities intrinsically rewarding.
Experts describe it as “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems important; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it, even at great cost, just for the sake of doing it.” Being in the ‘flow’ can be extremely rewarding and make you a happier, more fulfilled person. It can reduce stress, aid emotional regulation, and help you stay motivated.
4. WALK
This form of mindfulness walking is becoming popular because it is not only good for your joints but also helps you connect with your inner world by promoting calmness and connection.
As you walk, pay attention to how your leg lifts and touches the ground and how your arms move. The practice is said to reduce anxiety and depression and help you connect with the present moment.
5. REGULAR HEALTH CHECK
Sleeping with awareness is as important as living with awareness, because falling asleep with a tired body but a restless mind will also carry your daily stress into your sleep, which means that deep sleep, which is considered restful, may escape you.
In body scan meditation, you focus your attention on each point of your body, which helps you release hidden stress and promotes deeper, more restful sleep. Sleeping well has been linked to increased longevity, as it can help ward off chronic diseases and improve your overall well-being.
If there is an antidote to stress, it is mindfulness, because it connects us to both the inner and outer worlds and relaxes the mind. Stress is a major risk factor for many of today’s chronic diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. Embracing mindfulness can help a person live a healthier, happier life.
