“Very demure, very mindful” is the latest trend taking over TikTok, following Jools Lebron’s viral post about how she creates a “modest and respectful” look for work. Now, while I would not recommend taking health lessons from TikTok without doing your due diligence, adopting a mindful approach to life and embracing mindfulness can benefit both your mental health and longevity.
Longevity and Mental Health Benefits of Being Demure and Mindful
1. Reduced anxiety
An estimated 4% of the global population is currently dealing with an anxiety disorder, which can severely affect quality of life. Various therapies to help mitigate anxiety exist, one of which is mindfulness. According to one meta-analysis published last year, mindfulness-based interventions helped to significantly reduce anxiety among Chinese college students.
As mindfulness encourages the individual to focus on the present, they become more aware of their emotions and focus less on the unknown.
2. Improved immune function
Have you ever been struck with the flu when your stress levels are at an all-time high? That’s because stress can make you more susceptible to illness, so mitigating those stress levels may help to strengthen your immune system.
Mindfulness can help reduce stress levels and, according to a 2023 study, can positively influence the immune system.
3. Slowed brain aging
As mentioned, mindfulness encourages us to block out the noise and focus on the present. In doing so, mindfulness may enhance cognitive performance and possibly reduce rumination.
According to a 2020 study published in Brain imaging and behavior, researchers found significantly lower rates of annual tissue loss in meditators within certain regions.
These specific regions play a significant role in mood regulation, autonomic processing, and the integration of emotion and cognitive processes. With that, the researchers concluded that their findings added further evidence to the emerging notion that meditation may slow the effects of aging on the brain.
4. Chronic pain management
Around 20% of the global population deals with chronic pain, which can be extremely debilitating. However, embracing mindful techniques may help to mitigate the discomfort.
According to findings published in PAIN, participants who actively meditated reportedly experienced a 32% reduction in pain intensity and a 33% reduction in pain unpleasantness.
5. Supports heart health
With cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of mortality worldwide, it’s important to find ways to support a healthy heart.
High blood pressure is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but researchers may have found a way to manage this risk. Researchers from Brown University found that participants who adopted a mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program experienced improvements in health behaviors that can help lower blood pressure.
Chronic stress can also lead to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and inflammation – all of which are linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
However, a 2022 meta-analysis found a strong association between mindfulness-based intervention and decreased heart rate and stress score, with researchers concluding that these interventions can provide additional benefits to heart disease.
6. Improved sleep quality
Sleep is essential, but a lot of us aren’t getting enough of it, which then increases our risk for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
If you’re looking to be more mindful in an effort to improve your sleep habits, then you’ll be happy to know that research has found that this approach can be quite effective. Per a 2022 meta-analysis, mindfulness-based movements can effectively improve sleep quality and possibly treat or improve sleep disturbances.
How to be demure and mindful
When you hear the name Jay Shetty, what comes next? Motivational guru? Self-help philosopher? Mindful expert? Regardless of his title, many may perceive the Think Like A Monk author as an expert on mindfulness. With that said, here are six tips from the man himself on how to practice mindfulness and improve your overall wellness;
- Enjoy a cup of tea: Shetty sees drinking tea as a great way to make mindful moments, “I hold it in my hands and feel the warmth, I breathe in the smell, I look at the color, then finally I take a taste and notice every aspect of the flavor as it hits my tongue.”
- Monotasking: By doing one thing at a time, you’ll be more conscious and intentional of where you are, which helps you retain more, and build deeper connections and deeper relationships with people.
- Keep playing: Shetty reminds us that play isn’t just about being healthy and being fit, but it’s also about being more child-like. After all, the best play is the one that makes you laugh and gives your brain and health a boost.
- Learn: We’re constantly staring at a type of screen, whether it’s our phones, our tablets, or our TVs. Yet, are we learning anything? “We can turn our entertainment into a healthy growth mindset. It’s not that there isn’t a benefit to entertainment…I just think there is a step further that we haven’t explored,” explains Shetty.
- Spread positive energy: Every Monday, Shetty sends his friends and family a voice note and picture of a book he is reading or an exercise, as this is the best way to start their week.
- Share your experiences: Shetty encourages us to start sharing experiences together where we feel understood.
Want to know more?
Kevin Hart is worth over $150 million, and he’s world-renowned as a stand-up comedian, actor, and producer. With such a vast fortune and legacy to his name, one has to wonder what the secret to his success is. Well, it may surprise you, but Kevin Hart is a strong advocate for mindfulness.
