Mindfulness really does work, study rules

It may be dismissed by some as mumbo-jumbo, but trendy mindfulness could help to boost mental health for at least six months.

People who join in-person mindfulness classes are less likely to experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, analysis of 13 scientific studies suggests.

Mindfulness typically involves paying close attention to your body and surroundings in the moment, rather than being distracted by future worries – which is supposed to lead to feelings such as gratitude for being alive and greater calmness.

Researchers looked at studies involving a total of 2,371 people, aged 17 to 76, across eight countries, to determine how mindfulness might affect mental health.

Around half of the study volunteers were randomly assigned to take part in mindfulness programmes lasting eight weeks, including weekly sessions lasting from one hour up to two-and-a-half hours.

Researchers at Cambridge University found those who practised mindfulness were less likely to experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression,

Both those who did mindfulness classes, and those who did not, filled out questionnaires on their psychological distress – unpleasant feelings and mental experiences including anxiety and depression.

People who practised mindfulness scored lower when it came to psychological distress, on average.

This was seen from questionnaires filled out one to six months after people had done mindfulness classes for eight weeks – or after the same time period in people who received no mindfulness training.

It suggests the small to moderate mental health boost seen in those who learned to be more mindful could last for at least six months.

Dr Julieta Galante, who led the research while based at the University of Cambridge, said: ‘This study is the highest quality confirmation so far that the in-person mindfulness courses typically offered in the community do actually work for the average person.

‘It isn’t a lie which has been made up because it is fashionable – it seems mindfulness courses have an effect.

‘However at least part of the effect may come from doing mindfulness training in a supportive group, with a teacher paying attention to you.’

The studies first measured people’s level of distress, including anxiety and depression, using questionnaires when they were recruited.

Taking their original mental health into account showed how much they improved after eight weeks of mindfulness classes, or eight weeks without mindfulness, when they filled out a repeat questionnaire.

The results, based on this method, showed 63 per cent of people who tried mindfulness ended up with below-average psychological distress.

Below-average, as defined by the researchers, meant below the average distress among people not given mindfulness classes.

As 50 per cent of people had a below-average distress score in the non-mindful group, because the average was the middle score, that suggests an extra 13 per cent of people got a mental health boost in the mindful group.

The review, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, found men and women and people of all ages appeared to benefit from mindfulness.

It is suggested to improve wellbeing and boost emotional resilience.

But, importantly, the findings were only for in-person mindfulness sessions, so more evidence is needed on how using fashionable mindfulness apps might affect depression and anxiety.

These digital options may be less helpful because no face-to-face emotional support is involved, and people don’t do it in a group.

The scientific review found better rates of psychological distress among people who did mindfulness sessions compared to those who did not.

But four studies also compared people who did mindfulness classes with people who did another type of class which could improve their mental health, such as exercise sessions or a stress management course.

There was no evidence that mindfulness reduced psychological distress compared to these sessions, which suggests it is better than nothing but perhaps not better than other activities.

Previous evidence suggests mindfulness may work better for people who expect it to work, or think positively about it.

Dr Galante, now deputy director of the Contemplative Studies Centre, at the University of Melbourne, said: ‘We’ve confirmed that if adults choose to do a mindfulness course in person, with a teacher and offered in a group setting, this will, on average, be beneficial in terms of helping to reduce their psychological distress which will improve their mental health.

‘However, we are not saying that it should be done by every single person, as research shows that it just doesn’t work for some people.’