New research reveals that targeted mindfulness practices can help reduce different types of anxiety, promising a more personalized path to mental well-being. Experts led by WashU’s Mindfulness Science & Practice cluster uncover how tailored mindfulness can improve mental health.
Anxiety is an all-too-common experience in today’s fast-paced world. Whether it stems from work pressures, financial worries or global uncertainties, many people are seeking effective ways to cope. A promising solution, according to recent research, lies in the practice of mindfulness.
Mindfulness — the practice of paying close attention to the present moment without judgment — has been shown to calm anxiety and improve focus.
“A lot of research has shown that mindfulness can reduce anxiety symptoms,” Resh Gupta, a postdoctoral research associate with the Mindfulness Science and Practice research cluster at Washington University in St. Louis, said in a news release.
Despite its widely acknowledged benefits, scientists are still unraveling the complexities behind how mindfulness works and which specific techniques might best address varying forms of anxiety.
“We all experience anxiety, but it can manifest in many different ways,” Gupta added. “It’s a tough problem to pin down.”
A New Framework for Mindfulness
In a paper published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Gupta and her co-authors — Todd Braver, the William R. Stuckenberg Professor in Human Values and Moral Development and a professor of psychological and brain sciences at WashU, and Wendy Heller, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — propose a nuanced approach to understanding mindfulness and anxiety.
Rather than advocating a one-size-fits-all method, their research suggests that different mindfulness practices could be tailored to suit specific types of anxiety.
“Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, we propose that different kinds of mindfulness practices might be helpful for different varieties of anxiety,” Gupta added.
This personalized framework aims to better connect individuals with the most effective mindfulness techniques for their unique anxiety profiles.
The Science Behind Mindfulness and Anxiety
According to the authors, mindfulness combats anxiety by enhancing cognitive control — the mental process that governs the regulation of thoughts and actions to achieve goals.
“Cognitive control is the ability to regulate your thoughts and your actions in a way that helps you achieve your goals,” added Gupta.
Neuroimaging studies support this notion, showing that mindfulness meditation can modulate brain activity associated with cognitive control, thereby reducing anxiety.
However, anxiety can impair cognitive control by occupying significant mental resources.
“Worry occupies a lot of space in the brain’s working memory system, which is where your goals are stored,” Gupta added.
Improving cognitive control through mindfulness can disrupt this cycle of worry, enabling better mental function.
Tailored Mindfulness Practices
The study identifies that different types of anxiety may benefit from different mindfulness techniques. For instance, people prone to excessive worrying might find relief in focused attention meditation.
“Focused attention teaches you to choose an anchor, such as your breath or a sound,” added Gupta. “You keep bringing your attention back to that anchor every time your mind wanders.”
Alternatively, those experiencing heightened physical symptoms of anxiety might benefit more from open monitoring meditation.
“Open monitoring allows you to observe all internal and external experiences from moment to moment in a non-reactive, non-judgmental way,” Gupta added.
A Vision for the Future
Braver is optimistic about the future of mindfulness research.
“There is a growing recognition that these practices can be incredibly useful in enhancing psychological well-being,” he said.
He also highlights the need for continued scientific inquiry to fully understand the mechanisms behind mindfulness.
“It’s quite empowering to learn these types of practices and to feel like we can be in charge of how we use them to improve our quality of life,” he added.