PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE

Meditation is having a moment, but not everyone (myself included most days) wants to sit still with and let their monkey mind run wild.

This study presents another take on mindfulness, but adds a unique twist and combines the benefits of mindfulness with the enjoyment of movement.

The study
Researchers recruited 158 Penn State students, and for 2 weeks used a promp-based app to track their current activity and states of mind. The prompts included questions about where the participant was, if they were moving, and if they were stressed or anxious.

Researchers found that in the moments when participants were more mindful or active than usual, they showed less negative emotions like stress, anxiety and depression.

"When people were both more mindful and more active than usual, they seem to have this extra decrease in negative affect," said researcher Jason Yang. "Being more active in a given moment is already going to reduce negative affect, but by also being more mindful than usual at the same time, you can see this amplified affect."

Of course taking a walk will relieve stress.
But how often do you walk without music or a podcast going? How often do you take a walk with the sole purpose of being more mindful?

Takeaway: It’s helpful for many to sit and meditate their stress away, breathing deep while relaxing muscles. For others, it may be more advantage to reduce stress by meditating while walking, focusing on what’s immediately in front of you while also engaging a muscle or two.