Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionBenefits10-Minute Exercises1-Hour ExercisesMindfulness for KidsMindfulness for TeensApps
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Benefits
10-Minute Exercises
1-Hour Exercises
Mindfulness for Kids
Mindfulness for Teens
Apps
Mindfulnessis a practice that can help you be more present in your daily life. It’s about using self-awareness, focused breathing, and your five senses to help your mind and body become calm and centered.
Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques regularly may help with anxiety, stress, and more.This article explains how kids, teens, and adults can incorporate mindfulness techniques into daily life—even with just a few minutes to spare.
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice that teaches you to be aware of and focus on the present moment.It can be incorporated into many different activities while using a variety of techniques. Over time, mindfulness can teach you to stay levelheaded during stressful situations and can help you be more in tune with your emotions.
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Benefits of Mindfulness
Mindfulness may benefit both the mind and body. It is not a replacement for traditional treatment, as more research is needed on the efficacy of mindfulness for specific conditions. But in some studies, mindfulness-based practices were shown to:
Carving out time every day for quiet meditation is great if your schedule allows it, but there are countless ways to practice mindfulness, even during your day-to-day activities.
Mindfulness Exercises of 10 Minutes or Less
Mindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. While research supports that practicing mindfulness regularly gives the most benefits, there are mindfulness techniques that can be used every day without a large time commitment that interferes with your regular schedule.
Deep Breathing
Body Scanning
The purpose of body scanning is to become aware of how your body feels right now, without trying to change it and without judgment.
The Five Senses Exercise
This quick exercise is helpful when you’re feeling overwhelmed and need help to focus on the present moment.
For each of these steps, pause and give your full awareness to the object or sensation for a few deep breaths before moving on to the next one:
Wandering MindIf you notice your mind starting to wander, acknowledge your thoughts without judgment, then gently guide your focus back to your breath or sensations in your body.
Wandering Mind
If you notice your mind starting to wander, acknowledge your thoughts without judgment, then gently guide your focus back to your breath or sensations in your body.
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Mindfulness Exercises of 1 Hour or More
If you have more time, these mindfulness activities can promote both physical and mental wellness.
Walking Meditation
Practicing mindfulness while taking a walk has the added perk of getting your body moving, allowing you to reap the manyhealth benefits of exercise. To do awalking meditation, focus on your breathing and the sensations in your body while you walk. Tune in to the rhythm of your footsteps to help get centered.
Yoga
Research has shown that practicing yoga can improve mental health and sleep, as well as relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also help with stress management.
Yoga is one way to help elicit the relaxation response, a state of profound rest that helps counteract the fight-or-flight stress response.
Research is examining the ways in which practicing mindfulness can help children, including:
Even young kids can benefit from mindfulness exercises. Here are some activities that can be done at home or in a classroom setting.
Thought Clouds
Superhero Senses
A more playful spin on the five senses exercise above involves encouraging the child to use their “Spidey senses”—not to detect danger but to notice what they can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste right at that moment.
Strike a Pose
Ask the child to hold a pose, and explore how they feel while they’re in this pose. This can help strengthen the mind-body connection.
Calmness Is the Effect, Not the PurposeRemember that the purpose of mindfulness is simply to be aware of emotions and sensations in the present. If children are feeling restless or anxious, you want them to acknowledge those feelings without trying to change them. Calmness usually does come after mindfulness activities, but it’s a product of the activities, not the purpose of them.
Calmness Is the Effect, Not the Purpose
Remember that the purpose of mindfulness is simply to be aware of emotions and sensations in the present. If children are feeling restless or anxious, you want them to acknowledge those feelings without trying to change them. Calmness usually does come after mindfulness activities, but it’s a product of the activities, not the purpose of them.
How Can I Relax?
Many of the mindfulness techniques and exercises meant for adults alsowork well for teens. Here are a couple of mindfulness activities that both you and your teen can try.
Mindful Word
Choose a word that makes you feel calm, like “peace,” “love,” or even “calm.” As you take deep, slow breaths in and out, say the word silently to yourself with each inhalation. If you notice your mind wandering, think of the word to help yourself refocus.
The Raisin Exercise
This one sounds silly, and your teen will probably tell you so, but give it a chance. The purpose of the raisin exercise is to engage your senses and focus.
Apps for Mindfulness Exercises
If you’d prefer to have a coach to guide you through mindfulness exercises, consider trying an app such as:
Summary
Practicing mindfulness is a great way to ease anxiety or racing thoughts and focus on the present moment. The goal is to help you stay grounded in your daily life and respond to stressful situations with a calm, clear mind.
There are many different mindfulness techniques you can try at home (or anywhere). Anyone at any age can practice mindfulness.
For more guidance, download an app for mindfulness or meditation, like Calm or Headspace. If you have questions about whether mindfulness is a safe option for you and which technique is best, have a conversation with your healthcare provider.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Relaxation techniques: what you need to know.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.8 things to know about meditation and mindfulness.Guendelman S, Medeiros S, Rampes H.Mindfulness and emotion regulation: insights from neurobiological, psychological, and clinical studies.Front Psychol. 2017;0.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Dunning DL, Griffiths K, Kuyken W, et al.Research review: the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2019;60(3):244-258. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12980Basso JC. McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behavioural Brain Research. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023van Agteren J, Iasiello M, Lo L et al.A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing.Nat Hum Behav. 2021. doi:10.1038/s41562-021-01093-wDepartment of Veterans Affairs.Relaxation exercise: deep breathing.Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Training Program.Mindfulness meditation.Zero to Three.Five Senses Exercise.Harvard Health Publishing.What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga: what you need to know.Harvard Health.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.Crescentini C, Capurso V, Furlan S, Fabbro F.Mindfulness-oriented meditation for primary school children: effects on attention and psychological well-being.Front Psychol. 2016;7:805.Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ.Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(6):1041-1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006Nemours.Mindfulness exercises (for teens).
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Relaxation techniques: what you need to know.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.8 things to know about meditation and mindfulness.Guendelman S, Medeiros S, Rampes H.Mindfulness and emotion regulation: insights from neurobiological, psychological, and clinical studies.Front Psychol. 2017;0.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Dunning DL, Griffiths K, Kuyken W, et al.Research review: the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2019;60(3):244-258. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12980Basso JC. McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behavioural Brain Research. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023van Agteren J, Iasiello M, Lo L et al.A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing.Nat Hum Behav. 2021. doi:10.1038/s41562-021-01093-wDepartment of Veterans Affairs.Relaxation exercise: deep breathing.Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Training Program.Mindfulness meditation.Zero to Three.Five Senses Exercise.Harvard Health Publishing.What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga: what you need to know.Harvard Health.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.Crescentini C, Capurso V, Furlan S, Fabbro F.Mindfulness-oriented meditation for primary school children: effects on attention and psychological well-being.Front Psychol. 2016;7:805.Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ.Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(6):1041-1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006Nemours.Mindfulness exercises (for teens).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Relaxation techniques: what you need to know.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.8 things to know about meditation and mindfulness.Guendelman S, Medeiros S, Rampes H.Mindfulness and emotion regulation: insights from neurobiological, psychological, and clinical studies.Front Psychol. 2017;0.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Dunning DL, Griffiths K, Kuyken W, et al.Research review: the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2019;60(3):244-258. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12980Basso JC. McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behavioural Brain Research. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023van Agteren J, Iasiello M, Lo L et al.A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing.Nat Hum Behav. 2021. doi:10.1038/s41562-021-01093-wDepartment of Veterans Affairs.Relaxation exercise: deep breathing.Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Training Program.Mindfulness meditation.Zero to Three.Five Senses Exercise.Harvard Health Publishing.What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga: what you need to know.Harvard Health.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.Crescentini C, Capurso V, Furlan S, Fabbro F.Mindfulness-oriented meditation for primary school children: effects on attention and psychological well-being.Front Psychol. 2016;7:805.Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ.Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(6):1041-1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006Nemours.Mindfulness exercises (for teens).
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Relaxation techniques: what you need to know.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.8 things to know about meditation and mindfulness.
Guendelman S, Medeiros S, Rampes H.Mindfulness and emotion regulation: insights from neurobiological, psychological, and clinical studies.Front Psychol. 2017;0.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
Dunning DL, Griffiths K, Kuyken W, et al.Research review: the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2019;60(3):244-258. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12980
Basso JC. McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behavioural Brain Research. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
van Agteren J, Iasiello M, Lo L et al.A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing.Nat Hum Behav. 2021. doi:10.1038/s41562-021-01093-w
Department of Veterans Affairs.Relaxation exercise: deep breathing.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Training Program.Mindfulness meditation.
Zero to Three.Five Senses Exercise.
Harvard Health Publishing.What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga: what you need to know.
Harvard Health.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.
Crescentini C, Capurso V, Furlan S, Fabbro F.Mindfulness-oriented meditation for primary school children: effects on attention and psychological well-being.Front Psychol. 2016;7:805.
Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ.Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(6):1041-1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006
Nemours.Mindfulness exercises (for teens).
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