Tame stress with these 5 mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness, often used synonymously with meditation, is really a way of living. While meditation is a mindfulness practice and can help you live more mindfully, the two are not quite the same thing. Mindfulness is a collection of practices that help you bring your attention to the present moment with awareness, curiosity, and less judgement. It involves noticing your thoughts, feelings, reactions, and behaviours as they arise, rather than becoming caught up in them.

Living mindfully allows you to respond to life with greater awareness. As situations and challenges arise, there is more space to notice, observe and choose how you respond. Many people find they enjoy the present moment more and spend less time worrying about the past or the future. When life feels stressful, mindfulness practices can help bring your attention back to the here and now, often reducing the physical and emotional impact of stress.

Self-hypnosis, like meditation, can help strengthen your ability to focus and direct your attention. Alongside sessions with a hypnotherapist, you can use the mindfulness exercises below at home to help reduce stress and develop greater awareness in everyday life.

Mindful meditation

There are many different ways to meditate, but regardless of which approach you choose, they all share some common principles. Meditation invites you to bring your attention to the present moment, observing your experience with less judgement and interpretation. While mindfulness is a way of living, meditation is a practice with a beginning and an end.

A simple meditation you can start today is a breath-focused meditation. Over time, you may find yourself able to practise in a variety of environments, whether alone in a quiet room or sitting on a busy commuter train. To begin with, however, it is helpful to choose a quiet space without disturbances.

Make yourself comfortable and, if needed, set an alarm for when you would like to finish. Allow the muscles of your body to relax, starting at the scalp and gradually moving down to your toes. We call this progressive relaxation. You may find it helpful to gently tense each muscle group before releasing it. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable.

Once your body feels settled, bring your attention to your breathing. Notice whatever you can about the experience of breathing. Observe the movement of air as it enters and leaves your body. Notice where you feel it most clearly, the rhythm of each breath, and the sensations that accompany it.

With each practice, you may find yourself noticing more detail. The aim is not to analyse or judge what you experience, but simply to observe it with curiosity and awareness.

Mindful eating

A popular mindful eating exercise is the mindful raisin exercise. It is a simple but powerful way to explore what it means to eat with awareness, and it can help you bring more mindfulness into everyday meals.

Begin with a single raisin, paying attention from the moment you pick up the packet or box. Use all your senses to observe the experience. Notice how the packet feels in your hand. Does it make a sound when you move it? As you open it, do you notice any smells?

Take out one raisin and spend a few moments observing it. Notice its shape, colour, texture, and details. Just as no two fingerprints are exactly the same, no two raisins are identical. Explore it with curiosity. Notice how it feels between your fingers and any scent it may have.

When you feel ready, place the raisin in your mouth. Before chewing, allow it to rest on your tongue for a moment. Notice its texture, temperature, and any flavours that are already present. Move it gently around your mouth, paying attention to the sensations.

As you begin to chew, continue to observe the experience. Notice the taste changing, the texture softening, and any sounds you become aware of. See if you can stay present with the process of eating, using all of your senses to explore the experience.

This exercise is simply a way of practising mindful eating. Over time, you may find yourself bringing the same awareness and curiosity to other foods and meals, allowing everyday eating to become a little more conscious and present.

Five senses

The mindful eating exercise demonstrates how mindfulness can involve all five of your senses. As you begin to bring more awareness into everyday life, you may find yourself noticing the world around you in a similar way. A simple way to practise this is through the five senses exercise.

Take a moment to notice five things you can see. Next, become aware of four things you can hear. Then touch three things, notice two things you can smell, and finally, one thing you can taste.

You can adapt the exercise however you like. For example, you might notice five things you can smell and two things you can taste. The numbers themselves are less important than the act of bringing your attention to your immediate experience.

Many people find this exercise particularly helpful during stressful moments. By directing your attention to what is happening right now, you can help create a sense of grounding and bring you back to the present moment.

Breathing

Your breathing and heart rate are closely connected. As you breathe in, your heart rate naturally increases slightly. As you breathe out, it naturally slows down. This ongoing relationship between your breath and heartbeat is one of the ways your nervous system helps you adapt to the changing environment that surrounds you.

When we feel stressed or anxious, our breathing often becomes quicker and shallower, which can contribute to feelings of tension and a racing heart. Bringing awareness to your breath can help support your body's natural ability to settle.

A simple technique is to make your exhale slightly longer than your inhale. This can encourage a shift towards a calmer, more regulated state.

Some people find it helpful to visualise their breathing. You might imagine breathing around a rectangle, with the shorter side representing the inhale and the longer side representing the exhale. Others prefer to count. A common approach is 7–11 breathing, where you breathe in for a count of seven and out for a count of eleven.

The exact numbers are less important than finding a rhythm that feels comfortable for you. As the practice becomes more familiar, you may naturally find yourself slowing the breath and extending the count.

Body scan

A body scan is similar to the progressive relaxation exercise described earlier. It is a form of meditation and, if you are new to it, you may find it easier to begin in a quiet and comfortable space.

Close your eyes if that feels comfortable and gradually bring your attention to different areas of your body. As you move through your body, simply notice whatever sensations are present. There is no need to change anything or decide whether the sensations are good or bad. The practice is simply to observe with curiosity and awareness.

You can explore this exercise in as much detail as you wish, bringing attention not only to muscles and areas of tension, but also to internal sensations if that feels natural to you.

Many people find that a body scan helps them reconnect with their physical experience, particularly during times of stress when attention can become caught up in thoughts, worries, or distractions. By bringing awareness back to the body, it can create a greater sense of connection, presence, and grounding.

Mindfulness begins with paying attention to what is already happening, whether that is your breathing, the sensations in your body, the food you are eating, or the world around you.

Like any skill, mindfulness develops through practice. The more often you bring your attention back to the present moment, the more familiar that way of being can become. These simple exercises offer a starting point. You do not need to do them perfectly; simply noticing what is happening right now is enough.

Over time, many people find that mindfulness helps them feel more present, more connected to themselves, and better able to navigate the challenges of everyday life.