[00:00:00] Can a few minutes of mindfulness or paying attention to the current moment without being judgmental provide focus and help quiet repetitive, negative thoughts? US Psychologists studied whether brief mindfulness exercises can reduce rumination and improve attention. Researchers randomly assigned 77 college students scoring high in rumination to either a mindfulness or a journaling group for two weeks. The mindfulness group used a smartphone app for nine minutes each day, while the journaling group tracked activities from the prior week. They measured rumination, mindfulness, and attention control before and after the intervention. The mindfulness group showed a significant drop in rumination, while the journaling group showed no significant change. The mindfulness group made fewer errors on emotionally demanding tasks, suggesting better control of attention when faced with emotional information.
[00:00:46] However, both groups showed some improvement in mindfulness and basic attention.
[00:00:51] Rumination can keep people stuck thinking about upsetting experiences. A short daily mindfulness practice may help people step back from those thoughts, focus on what is kind or important, and regain control of their attention. Start practicing mindfulness. A few focused minutes each day may help break the cycle of repetitive thinking.
