Adolescent Meditation: Perks and Exercise Suggestions
Mindfulness, a practice that involves focusing one's attention on the present moment, has been gaining traction as a helpful tool for teenagers facing various mental health challenges.
Teenagers may encounter mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD. These conditions can significantly impact their daily lives, but mindfulness-based interventions offer a potential solution. Research shows that mindfulness can help treat or reduce symptoms of these conditions, as well as disordered eating, chronic pain and illness, sleep issues, stress related to playing competitive sports, and more.
A therapist specializing in mindfulness and working with teenagers can provide additional support. If a teenager requires more assistance in practicing mindfulness, connecting with a mental health professional may be beneficial.
One such therapist is Dr. Rachel K. Wise from New York, who has spoken about the benefits of using sensory integration for adolescents in treating anxiety, stress, and improving presence at school, with friends, or at home.
When teaching mindfulness to a teenager, it's essential to make it personal and start with simple exercises. For neurotypical teenagers, mindfulness may be more effective for decreasing distress due to the ability to switch tasks, focus, and be more aware of thought patterns.
However, for teenagers with ADHD, mindfulness can sometimes be challenging due to the speed of thought and executive dysfunction. In these cases, co-regulation techniques or building and strengthening executive functioning skills may be more helpful.
Mindfulness practices can help teenagers reduce anxiety, stress, and become more present in various settings such as school, home, or with friends. Engaging in mindfulness for as little as one minute can be more productive than not engaging at all.
A 2017 study found that mindfulness training can increase life satisfaction, decrease depression and anxiety, and decrease sleep issues and alcohol consequences in students.
Seven mindfulness exercises for teenagers include deep breathing, the "5-4-3-2-1" exercise, grounding exercises, journaling, guided meditation, affirmations or mantras, and using mindfulness apps like Headspace or Calm.
For teenagers who have experienced trauma, a trauma-informed mindfulness practice may be an appropriate starting point.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a third of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health, and 44% reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless. In such challenging times, mindfulness learning resources for teenagers can be a lifeline. These resources include mindfulness apps, articles, books, podcasts, and videos.
If a teenager is struggling with mindfulness, it can be helpful to ask them what feels hard and what their barriers are. Remember, the goal is to make mindfulness a beneficial addition to their daily lives, not an additional source of stress.
Practicing mindfulness, such as keeping a gratitude journal or listening to a guided meditation once a week, can significantly benefit a teenager's mental well-being. It's a small investment of time that can yield substantial rewards.
