When It Comes To Matters Of The Heart, Mindfulness Can Help

It pays to listen to your heart after all. A recent study from Brown University, which explored the potential connection between a person's sense of mindfulness and their cardiovascular health, found that those who are more aware of their feelings in the present moment also benefit from a healthier heart. This new data shows that mindfulness, which is a practice that can be learned, might be an effective behavioral intervention method for cardiovascular patients in the future. The study is the first of its kind to provide quantifiable evidence suggesting that "dispositional mindfulness," someone's awareness and attention to what they are thinking and feeling in the moment, can in fact have a positive impact on four of seven cardiovascular health indicators, according to lead author of the study Eric Loucks, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the Brown University School of Public Health. In the study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 382 participants first answered the 15 questions of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), two of which read, "I find it difficult to stay focused on what's happening in the present" and "I tend not to notice feelings of physical tension or discomfort until they really grab my attention." They then underwent tests measuring the American Heart Association's seven indicators of cardiovascular health: cigarette smoking, physical activity, body mass index, fruit and vegetable consumption, cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar levels.