7 Simple Mindfulness Exercises for Stress and Anxiety Relief

Stress and anxiety are major public health concerns, affecting millions of people worldwide. Women are more likely to experience stress and anxiety compared to men, with a 60% higher prevalence rate, Sage Journals revealed.  Chronic stress and anxiety can have negative effects, which can contribute to a range of physical and mental health issues. The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences Scientists found that stress-related illnesses account for up to 60% of all doctor’s visits and are linked to the 6th leading cause of death in the world.

Fortunately, researchers in Frontiers in Psychology have revealed that simple mindfulness exercises can be highly effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Mindfulness-based therapies can considerably lessen depressive and anxious symptoms the Journal of the American Medical Association found discovered. Now I know you are wondering what ‘mindfulness exercises’ means and entails.

What Is Mindfulness Exercises?

Mindfulness exercises are practices that help individuals focus their attention on the present moment, cultivating non-judgmental awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the here and now, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. These exercises are rooted in Buddhist meditation traditions and have gained widespread popularity in recent years due to their proven benefits for mental health, stress reduction, and general health wellness.

“Some [people] have the misconception that mindfulness means they need to sit cross-legged, eyes closed, and ready to commit to at least 10 to 15 minutes,” Hemisha Patel Urgola, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Princeton University and the founder of the Mindful Practice, says[1].

That doesn’t have to be that way, though—unless that’s your thing, of course! This kind of thinking can help you get through difficult situations in the moment, such as arriving late to work or having a fight with your significant other. Dr. Urgola continues, “Regular practice can also lead to long-term changes in how you connect with your thoughts.” She claims that with time, this can help you deal with mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression.

In a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, participants who engaged in a six-week mindfulness course reported significantly lower levels of perceived stress[2]. Similarly, a 2019 study in the same journal found that mindfulness meditation helped alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, partly by reducing worry and rumination[3]. Moreover, a 2022 randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry revealed that mindfulness-based stress reduction was just as effective as escitalopram, a first-line prescription medication for anxiety and depression.[4]

While learning how to meditate is certainly one form of mindfulness practice, it’s not the only way to increase your present-moment awareness. Research has shown that incorporating mindfulness techniques into daily life can provide a range of benefits, including:

  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Improved focus and concentration
  • Enhanced emotional regulation
  • Increased self-awareness
  • Better sleep quality
  • Boosted immune function
  • Improve insomnia and other sleep problems

How Mindfulness Exercises Work

  • Mindfulness is practiced with the intention of being present and attentive, rather than operating on autopilot or getting caught up in thoughts about the past or future.
  • Mindfulness exercises train the mind to focus attention on the present moment, whether it’s the sensations of breathing, the physical body, or the surrounding environment.
  • Mindfulness is practiced with an attitude of openness, curiosity, and non-judgment towards one’s experiences, rather than reacting with criticism or avoidance.

Through repeatedly practicing these three elements – intention, attention, and attitude – mindfulness can lead to a profound shift in perspective known as “reperceiving.” This meta-mechanism allows individuals to step back and observe their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations with greater clarity and objectivity, rather than being completely immersed in and identified with them.

Some of the key ways this reperceiving process can lead to positive changes include:

  • Improved emotion regulation: By not automatically getting caught up in negative thoughts and feelings, individuals can respond to challenges with more clarity and equanimity.
  • Reduced rumination and worry: The present-moment focus of mindfulness helps break the cycle of obsessive thinking about the past or future.
  • Enhanced cognitive flexibility: Reperceiving allows people to see situations from new perspectives and respond with more adaptability.
  • Increased self-awareness: Mindfulness cultivates a deeper understanding of one’s inner experience, which can foster self-acceptance and personal growth.

By consistently practicing mindfulness exercises, you can rewire your neural pathways and develop lasting changes in how you relate to your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

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Feeling Stressed? Try These Simple Mindfulness Exercises

1. Three-Minute Breathing Space

The three-minute breathing space is a concise yet powerful mindfulness exercise that can be used to quickly reconnect with the present moment and find a sense of calm, even in the midst of a busy day.

According to Dr. Cassandra Vieten, this practice is commonly used in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, a type of therapy that has been shown to improve symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Here’s how to do the three-minute breathing space:

  • Set a timer for three minutes.
  • Sit in a comfortable position, or stand if needed. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so.
  • Begin by noticing what’s happening in your mind and body right now. Are you feeling worried, tense, or distracted? Simply observe your present-moment experience without judgment.
  • Next, bring your full attention to your breath, focusing on the sensation of the air flowing in and out.
  • Expand your awareness to include your entire body. Notice your posture, facial expression, and any areas of tension or relaxation.
  • By shifting your attention in this way – from broad awareness, to the breath, to the whole body – the three-minute breathing space allows you to step out of automatic pilot mode and reconnect with the present moment. This can be a valuable tool for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges when you need a quick reset.

2. Mindful Listening

One of the effective mindfulness exercises recommended by Dr. Urgola is the practice of mindful listening. This technique involves focusing your attention on a specific sound in your immediate environment, whether it’s something obvious and loud or something more subtle in the background. Here’s how to practice mindful listening:

  • Close your eyes if it feels comfortable, or softly gaze at a spot in your surroundings without focusing on anything specific.
  • Identify a sound to focus on, such as distant traffic, the hum of an air conditioner, or a neighbor’s TV.
  • Listen deeply to the sound, taking note of its tone (soft, buzzy, harsh), rhythm (steady or irregular), and volume.
  • Stay present with the sound as best you can. If your mind wanders, gently acknowledge the distraction and bring your attention back to the sound. You can visualize your wandering thoughts drifting away on a balloon or leaf.
  • Continue this practice for as long as you feel comfortable, ending the exercise whenever you’re ready.

The key to this mindful listening exercise is to simply observe the sound with an open and non-judgmental attitude, without getting caught up in any thoughts or emotions it may evoke. By repeatedly bringing your focus back to the present-moment experience of the sound, you can train your mind to be more grounded and attentive, which can have benefits for stress reduction and overall well-being.

3. Mindful Dishwashing

One unexpected way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine is through the simple act of doing the dishes. As Dr. Urgola explains, turning mundane chores into mindfulness exercises can be a small yet impactful way to check in with yourself, even as you complete other tasks. Here’s how to practice mindful dishwashing:

  • As you wash the dishes, bring your full attention to the present moment. Ask yourself questions like: How warm or cold is the water? How does the sponge or scrubber feel in my hand? What smells am I experiencing? What is the texture of the dishes I’m touching?
  • If your mind starts to wander, that’s completely normal. When you notice your attention has drifted, simply acknowledge it and gently bring your focus back to the sensations of washing the dishes.

This mindful approach to dishwashing, or even other routine tasks like showering, allows you to step out of autopilot mode and fully engage with the present moment. As Dr. Urgola points out, “Your brain is doing what it has evolved to do: think.” By repeatedly redirecting your attention, you can train your mind to be more grounded and attentive, even in the midst of everyday activities.

4. The Body Scan

The body scan is a highly effective mindfulness exercise that involves systematically directing your attention to different areas of your body, from your feet to your head and back again. According to Dr. Cassandra Vieten, this practice is particularly beneficial when you’re feeling anxious, agitated, nervous, or scattered, as it helps ground you in the present moment and release physical tension. Here’s how to practice the body scan:

  • Close your eyes or maintain a soft, relaxed gaze, without focusing on anything specific.
  • Begin by bringing your attention to the bottom of your feet, followed by your toes, the tops of your feet, your heels, and your ankles. Notice any sensations you’re experiencing in each area, such as tightness, coldness, tingling, or nothing at all. Simply observe these sensations with a curious, non-judgmental attitude.
  • Slowly move your attention up your body, focusing on one section at a time – your calves, knees, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest, back, fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and face. Notice the physical sensations in each area with the same curious attention.
  • When you reach the top of your head, you can either stop the body scan or travel back down to your feet, following the same path you took on the way up.

If you need additional guidance, the UCSD Center for Mindfulness website offers free guided body scan recordings that you can use to deepen your practice.

By systematically bringing your attention to different parts of your body, the body scan helps you become more attuned to physical sensations and release areas of tension or discomfort. This grounding practice can be a powerful tool for managing stress, anxiety, and other challenging emotions, as it helps you stay present and connected to your body’s experience in the moment.

5. The Four-Seven-Eight Breathing Technique

The four-seven-eight breathing technique is a powerful mindfulness exercise that can be particularly helpful for managing anxiety and improving sleep. As Dr. Urgola explains, feeling anxious can often deregulate our breathing patterns, leading to shallow, rapid breaths. This technique helps restore a sense of calm and control by guiding you through a series of deep, intentional breaths. Here’s how to practice the four-seven-eight breathing technique:

  • Close your eyes if it feels comfortable, or gaze softly at a spot in your environment.
  • Inhale for a count of four.
  • Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  • Exhale for a count of eight.
  • Make sure to breathe deeply from your belly, rather than shallow breathing from your chest, so your lungs fill up fully.
  • Repeat this pattern, staying with it as best you can.
  • End the exercise whenever you feel ready to stop.

The key to this technique is the extended exhalation, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes a state of relaxation. By slowing down and regulating your breathing, you can counteract the physiological effects of anxiety, such as a racing heart and shallow breaths.

Dr. Urgola also notes that the four-seven-eight breathing exercise can be helpful for improving sleep, as stress and anxiety are common culprits behind insomnia. By practicing this technique before bed, you can calm your mind and body, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

6. Mindful People-Watching

Dr. Urgola explains, this exercise can be “a way to pull ourselves out of our heads” and cultivate present-moment awareness, without requiring a formal meditation practice.
Here’s how to try mindful people-watching:

  • Take a moment to notice the people around you, whether during your commute or on a leisurely walk.
  • As you observe the strangers in your environment, try to avoid forming judgments or stories about them. If your mind starts to make assumptions, gently let those thoughts go and bring your focus back to a neutral awareness.
  • If you feel comfortable, you can also try engaging with one or more of the people you notice, such as making eye contact, offering a smile, or saying hello.
  • If interacting with strangers doesn’t feel right, that’s perfectly fine. Simply continue observing the people around you with an open and curious mindset.

The goal of this practice is to detach from your own internal chatter and mental narratives, and instead, simply be present with the people and environment around you. By shifting your attention outward in this way, you can give your mind a much-needed break from the constant stream of thoughts and worries.

7. Family Group Drawing Activity

Here, Dr. Urgola suggests an engaging family activity called “group drawing” that allows everyone to practice the principles of mindfulness together. Here’s how to do the group drawing exercise:

  • Gather a piece of paper and drawing supplies (colored pencils, crayons, etc.) for each person.
  • Set a timer for one minute.
  • Start drawing something, anything, on your piece of paper.
  • When the timer goes off, pass your paper to the person on your left.
  • Reset the timer, and the person who just received your paper will now add to your drawing for another minute.
  • Continue passing the papers around and drawing for one-minute intervals until all the papers have been returned to their original owners.

During this exercise, be mindful of any judgments that arise about the activity, the drawing you receive, your own drawing skills, or the final product. Acknowledge these thoughts, but try to let them go, focusing instead on the present-moment experience of creating and sharing the drawings. This group drawing activity encourages the practice of non-judgment, one of the key components of mindfulness. By allowing the drawings to unfold organically, without attachment to a particular outcome, participants can cultivate a sense of openness, curiosity, and acceptance – valuable skills that can be applied to various aspects of life.

ALSO READ: 7 Easy Yoga Exercises for Your Best Sleep

References

  1. Urgola, H. P. (n.d.). Hemisha Urgola | The Mindful Practice | Metuchen, NJ 08840. The Mindful Practice of Metuchen. https://themindfulpracticeofmetuchen.com/
  2. Bartlett, L., Buscot, M. J., Bindoff, A., Chambers, R., & Hassed, C. (2021). Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 724126. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724126
  3. Bartlett, L., Buscot, M. J., Bindoff, A., Chambers, R., & Hassed, C. (2022). Mindfulness-Based Interventions Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Health and Social Care Education: A Cohort-Controlled Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1056834. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056834
  4. Bartlett, L., Buscot, M. J., Bindoff, A., Chambers, R., & Hassed, C. (2022). Mindfulness-Based Interventions Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Health and Social Care Education: A Cohort-Controlled Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1056834. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9811678/

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