"How can mindfulness help my child at school?'
Mindfulness helps us to feel calm and a calm brain can focus.
Secondly, mindfulness has been shown in clinical studies to increase activity in areas of the brain responsible for thought and processing.
If we practice mindfulness meditation at a time when we feel relaxed we can work on developing our brains just as we would any other muscle.
Mindfulness has been shown in clinical studies to increase activity in areas of the brain responsible for thought and processing.
According to Dr. Meera Joshi, Mindfulness expert for BUPA UK, the grey matter in these areas can become thicker after practicing mindfulness. Scientists have used MRI scans to see how the brain changes when people practice mindfulness, yielding some fascinating results.
Evidence suggests that particular areas of the brain may either shrink or grow in response to regular mindfulness practice.
The hippocampus. The part of our brain that helps with our memory and learning and the pre-frontal cortex. The area of our brain responsible for things like planning and problem-solving.
When we feel challenged, out of our comfort zones or even overwhelmed mindful breathing can bring us back to a calmer state of mind. The more often we practice when we are calm the easier it is to feel benefits when we are stressed.
What does this mean for your child?
They feel calmer more able to learn and remember and they start to condition their brains to feel this way whenever a learning challenge arises. They might not know all the answers but they feel confident and capable that they will eventually work things out.
Diana