If you’re wondering exactly how to increase mindfulness in your life, take a look at these beneficial steps.
You know that moment when you walk into a room and immediately forget why you’re there? Or when you’re in the middle of a conversation but also mentally reviewing your grocery list?
Or you can’t find your keys even though you’d swear they were in that spot? Or you almost burn your kitchen down with forgetful cooking?
Well by fostering better mindfulness–the antithesis of being absent–you can greatly improve your mental and physical health.
Why Is Mindfulness Important?
Mindfulness reduces stress, fatigue, anxiety, and burnout. It mitigates forgetfulness, absentmindedness, and human errors.
It also has health benefits including reduced blood pressure, lower stress hormones, and improved sleep quality, and importantly, it curbs accidents and impulsive decisions.
20 Ways to Increase Mindfulness
Here are 15 ways you can increase mindfulness:
1. Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing and the 4-7-8 technique, help regulate the autonomic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic response, reducing stress and anxiety.
Popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil, 4-7-8 entails inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds, aiming to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
Studies show that controlled breathing techniques improve emotional regulation and cognitive function by increasing oxygen supply to the brain and decreasing cortisol It also can help you stay present and calm in stressful situations.
2. Meditate Daily
Meditation is one of the most effective ways to cultivate mindfulness. One report notes that “Clinical evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation reduces anxiety, depression, and stress, and improves emotion regulation due to modulation of activity in neural substrates linked to the regulation of emotions and social preferences.”
Other studies found that it enhances the prefrontal cortex, responsible for focus and decision-making, while reducing activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear center. Even just 10 minutes of meditation a day can improve emotional resilience and mental clarity.
3. Engage in Mindful Dining
Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating—focusing on the taste, texture, and aroma of food. Studies show that mindful eating helps prevent overeating, improves digestion, and enhances food satisfaction.
It also reduces impulsive eating by strengthening the brain’s ability to recognize satiety signals, making it easier to maintain a healthy relationship with food.
4. Practice Gratitude
Cultivating gratitude enhances mindfulness by shifting focus from worries to positive experiences. Studies find that people who regularly practice gratitude experience higher levels of happiness and lower levels of depression.
Writing in a gratitude journal or mentally acknowledging things you’re grateful for each day can help train your mind to focus on the present and appreciate life’s small joys.
5. Limit Multitasking
Multitasking may seem productive, but it actually reduces efficiency and increases stress. One study found that chronic multitaskers perform worse on cognitive tasks than those who focus on one task at a time.
Practicing mindfulness by focusing on a single task improves cognitive control, enhances memory, and reduces mental fatigue, leading to better overall performance and emotional well-being.
6. Practice Sauna Bathing
Sauna bathing is not only deeply relaxing and beneficial to health, studies show it increases mindfulness in several ways. One study found that sauna bathers had a “higher ability of bodily sensory imagery and a higher aesthetic evaluation of haiku poetry.”
Another study found that sauna bathing “increased the trait of mindfulness” by boosting the “sensitivity of bodily sensations and the heightened parasympathetic nervous system owing to the high and low temperatures.”
Saunas also produce tons of other benefits, including reduced blood pressure, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The Mayo Clinic notes that saunas curb stroke, pulmonary diseases, skin conditions, rheumatic diseases, headaches, and even the flu.
If you don’t own a sauna and don’t have room for a big one, you can always get a tent—go here—or do what I did years back and get a sauna blanket. I purchased mine from HigherDOSE—the only ETL Certified sauna blanket on the market. (Read up on sauna benefits here.)
7. Take Mindful Walks In Nature
Walking mindfully—paying attention to each step, the sensation of the ground, and your surroundings—helps ground you in the present moment. Studies find that mindful walking lowers stress, improves mood, and boosts cardiovascular health.
It’s also especially beneficial when done in nature, as exposure to green spaces is linked to lower cortisol levels and improved emotional well-being.
8. Get a PEMF Mat
Indoor grounding equipment like this PEMF Mat (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) has been shown by studies to increase mindfulness and meditation by immersing you in Earth’s healing magnetic field.
It influences brainwave activity and encourages states of relaxation and focus, says Psychology Today:
“When used during meditation, PEMF devices can help to quiet the mind, reduce stress, and improve overall focus, depending on which frequencies are used and in which brain regions . . . One of the primary benefits of using a PEMF device during meditation is that it can help to reduce the amount of time it takes to achieve a meditative state. When the body is exposed to PEMF waves, it enters a state of resonance, which allows the mind to relax and focus more quickly.”
9. Reduce Screen Time & Digital Distractions
Excessive screen time, especially on social media, can fragment attention and lead to mind-wandering. Studies found that excessive smartphone use is associated with increased anxiety and lower mindfulness levels. Implementing digital detoxes, setting screen-time limits, and practicing device-free periods can help cultivate a more mindful lifestyle.
10. Engage in Creative Activities
Creative activities like painting, drawing, playing music, or writing require deep focus, which fosters a state of mindfulness. One study found that engaging in creative expression reduces cortisol levels and enhances mental clarity.
Flow states, often experienced in creative activities, are a form of mindfulness where the mind is fully immersed in the present.
11. Engage in Yoga or Tai Chi
Both yoga and Tai Chi incorporate breath control, body awareness, and movement, making them powerful mindfulness practices. Research has shown that these activities increase GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) levels, reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.
Practicing mindful movement strengthens the mind-body connection and improves emotional resilience.
12. Take Up Weight Training
Working out with weights, otherwise know as strength or resistance training, not only dramatically improves your health, it fosters a focus on the present moment, body awareness, and the mind-muscle connection, similar to how mindfulness practices like meditation can improve mental focus and body awareness.
Proper breathing techniques are also required during weight training, like coordinating inhales and exhales with specific movements, which can ground you in the present moment and improve focus. You can read more about weight training here.
13. Take Hot Baths
Taking hot baths not only benefits your health, it increases mindfulness in a variety of ways. It calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and allows for focused attention on the present moment. It also engages the senses in the feelings of the water, and the relaxation induced can prepare the body for sleep.
It’s especially beneficial when you practice deep breathing and use botanicals with healing properties and lovely scents.
I personally use this Serotonin Soak salt with magnesium, French green clay, algae, turmeric, marjoram, eucalyptus, and more.
14. Practice Mindful Listening
Active listening—fully focusing on what someone is saying without interrupting or planning a response—enhances connection and awareness. Research indicates that mindful listening improves relationships, increases empathy, and reduces emotional reactivity. Practicing this during conversations strengthens mindfulness, presence, and social bonds.
15. Do Body Scans
A body scan meditation involves mentally scanning your body from head to toe, noticing areas of tension or relaxation. A study in Mindfulness found that body scans increase interoceptive awareness (the ability to sense internal bodily signals), which improves emotional regulation and reduces stress.
This practice is particularly effective for individuals who experience chronic stress or physical discomfort, as it enhances relaxation and mind-body connection.
16. Fasting & Intermittent Fasting
Fasting and intermittent fasting naturally enhance mindfulness by encouraging greater awareness of bodily sensations, hunger cues, and emotional responses to food. When we abstain from eating for extended periods, we become more attuned to our physical and mental states, recognizing the difference between true hunger and habitual cravings.
This heightened awareness fosters a deeper connection with our body, helping us appreciate food more intentionally rather than consuming it mindlessly. Additionally, fasting requires discipline and self-control, reinforcing the practice of being present in the moment and making conscious choices.
As a result, individuals who practice fasting often experience improved focus, emotional regulation, and a greater sense of gratitude, all of which contribute to a more mindful and intentional way of living.
17. Practice Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta)
This form of meditation involves sending well-wishes to yourself and others, fostering empathy and compassion. Neuroscientific research shows that loving-kindness meditation increases activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, brain areas linked to emotional regulation and empathy. Regular practice enhances positive emotions, mindfulness, and reduces stress.
18. Develop A Nighttime Mindfulness Routine
Winding down with a mindfulness routine before bed—such as journaling, meditation, or gentle stretching—improves sleep quality and reduces nighttime rumination. Research suggests that mindfulness-based interventions help with insomnia by lowering hyperarousal and improving sleep efficiency. A mindful bedtime routine signals the body to relax and prepare for restful sleep.
19. Use Devices like White Noise, Aromatherapy, and Nature Sounds
A white noise machine and an aromatherapy diffuser with nature sounds can enhance mindfulness by creating a calming, immersive environment that promotes relaxation and present-moment awareness. White noise helps mask distracting sounds, allowing the mind to focus and stay anchored in the present without being pulled into external disruptions.
Similarly, nature sounds, such as flowing water or rustling leaves, evoke a sense of tranquility and connection with the natural world, encouraging deeper relaxation and mindfulness.
Aromatherapy further complements this practice by engaging the sense of smell, with calming scents like lavender or eucalyptus promoting a sense of grounding and reducing stress. Together, these sensory tools create a peaceful atmosphere that supports mindfulness, making it easier to focus, meditate, or simply enjoy the present moment without distraction.
20. Obsidian Spheres and Candles
An obsidian sphere or black crystal ball used for meditation may enhance mindfulness by serving as a focal point for concentration, grounding, and introspection. The smooth, reflective surface of the obsidian sphere encourages deep focus, helping individuals anchor their attention in the present moment. This is particularly beneficial for mindfulness meditation, where awareness of thoughts, emotions, and surroundings is key.
Additionally, obsidian is often associated with grounding and protection in various spiritual traditions, which may contribute to a sense of stability and inner balance during meditation.
While scientific studies on the direct effects of obsidian spheres in meditation are limited, research on mindfulness and meditation in general supports the idea that focusing on a single object can improve attention and reduce stress.
Studies have shown that meditation practices incorporating visual concentration, such as gazing at a candle or an object, enhance mental clarity and emotional regulation.
Furthermore, mindfulness meditation has been linked to reduced anxiety and improved cognitive function, so using an obsidian sphere as a meditative tool may reinforce these benefits by providing a tangible, grounding object that fosters mindfulness.
Takeaway
The 20 mindfulness practices outlined in this article provide a holistic approach to enhancing mental, emotional, and physical well-being. By incorporating techniques such as meditation, mindful breathing, sensory engagement, and intentional daily habits, individuals can cultivate greater awareness, reduce stress, and improve focus.
The medical and health topics covered on the PlateofGrass website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease. This article and its content is presented ‘as is’ for informational purposes only.
