Most of us believe that aging and stress are inevitable parts of life. But what if how we perceive these experiences actually has the power to influence our health and longevity? Research on mindfulness and mind-body unity suggests that our thoughts about aging and stress may be just as important as the physical realities we experience. By practicing mindfulness, we can reshape these perceptions and improve our wellbeing.
Changing the Perception of Aging
A study conducted by Ellen Langer in 1979 showed that when elderly men were placed in an environment that resembled their youth, their physical and mental health improved dramatically. This study suggests that how we perceive our age can have a real effect on how our bodies age. Participants who believed they were younger experienced better posture, greater flexibility, and even improved memory.
Mindfulness can help us change our perception of aging. Instead of fixating on the negative aspects of getting older, we can practice mindful awareness of our bodies and appreciate the strength and wisdom we’ve gained over the years. A mindfulness practice could include:
- Daily Body Awareness: Each morning, take a few moments to focus on the sensations in your body. Appreciate the parts that feel strong and acknowledge the areas where you may need more care or attention.
- Positive Aging Affirmations: Use affirmations to reframe your thoughts about aging. Say to yourself, “I am growing wiser and stronger each day,” or “My body is resilient and capable.”
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction
It’s not just our perception of aging that can affect our health—how we view stress can also have a significant impact. A study by Abiola Keller and her colleagues found that adults who perceived stress as harmful were more likely to die earlier than those who did not view stress in a negative light, even when they experienced high levels of stress.
Mindfulness can help shift our relationship with stress. Rather than seeing stress as something harmful that we need to avoid, we can learn to view it as a natural part of life and even a source of motivation. When practiced regularly, mindfulness can reduce the physical and mental toll that stress takes on our bodies.
Here’s a simple mindfulness technique to help you manage stress:
- Breathing Exercise: When you feel stressed, stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath in for four seconds, hold for four, and then exhale for four seconds. Repeat this cycle until you feel your body begin to relax. Or simply be aware of your breathing without counting. By bringing your awareness to your breathing you are activating that side of yourself that can simply be aware. If you can focus on slower, deeper breaths, that's our way of saying to our body "It's okay, we are safe".
- Mindful Awareness of Stress: Instead of trying to suppress stress, acknowledge it without judgment. Notice where you feel tension in your body and gently breathe into those areas. This awareness alone can help reduce the intensity of the stress you’re experiencing. See stress as a sign post that is saying something is not quite right in our lives. Our yourself to explore what might need to change in your life to help reduce unwanted levels of stress. This incorporates an action component (change) with awareness of the stress (the unwanted thoughts, feelings and sensations).
Conclusion: Mindfulness and the Future of Health
Mind-body unity shows us that we have more control over our health than we might think. By practicing mindfulness, we can change the way we perceive our bodies, our stress, and our age, leading to improved health and longevity. These studies give us hope that even the smallest changes in our thoughts can have a big impact on our overall wellbeing. Incorporate mindfulness into your life every day!