Mindfulness and its benefits in children and adolescents

Wake up and see the cell phone, check your messages, social networks, read the news, breakfast, go out to traffic, arrive on time, start the day’s activities, run from one place to another …, among the millions of distractions in which we live immersed, it is difficult to be simply in what we are. Precisely this is what the term of mindfulness or mindfulness refers to, entering into a state of consciousness to take advantage of the only thing we have: the present moment.

If as adults we sometimes have a hard time concentrating on one thing and paying attention to our thoughts and emotions, imagine the challenge that is for children and adolescents! That is why helping them develop mindfulness is key to self-knowledge and development. Among some of the benefits of encouraging your children to be aware of the here and now are:

• Happy people : having the ability to live the moment fully is reason enough to raise our level of happiness. Added to this, and according to a Harvard University study, also increases our capacity for compassion, empathy and gratitude which improves our social relations. Having a healthy social interaction is key to the integral development not only in childhood and adolescence, but in all stages of life.

• Change of perspective and problem solving: according to the journal Psychological Science, mindfulness as well as improving concentration and attention, helps to reduce “blind spots” and be able to see things more objectively. When we train the mind to focus on the present, we eliminate concerns and obsessive thoughts which is key to better decision making.

• Better school performance : According to a study conducted by the University of Santa Barbara in California, mindfulness directly affects cognitive functions and potentializes memory and verbal reasoning. This is the main reason why you can see benefits directly in academic performance.

• Reduces the risk of depression in adolescence : Practicing mindfulness decreases stress and anxiety, which helps prevent depression.