A unique wellness trend is taking over Bangkok as hundreds of people gathered in Lumphini Park for a "Do Nothing" event. Participants spent one hour sitting quietly without using their phones, talking, or taking part in any activities. Organizers described the gathering as a peaceful protest against hustle culture and the constant pressure to stay productive. The movement is part of a growing global trend promoting mindfulness, digital detox, and slowing down, with similar events already taking place in South Korea and Spain.

Bangkok's 'Do Nothing' event goes viral | Hundreds gather to escape hustle culture

A study published on Wednesday shows that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) worked just as well as a standard drug prescribed for treating anxiety in people. The results were based on the daily use of a popular mindfulness programme by the participants while others were given a generic drug sold under the brand name Lexapro commonly used for treating anxiety and depression.&nbsp;

Anxiety disorders are quite common as well as highly distressing and can disrupt a person’s day-to-day life, the various types of disorders include social and generalised anxiety and panic attacks. On the other hand, mindfulness refers to a type of meditation which asks a person to focus only on the present moment and dismiss any and all intrusive thoughts. &nbsp;

The mindfulness programme included two and a half hours of classes every week and daily practising at home for at least 45 minutes, said the study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/listening-to-birds-can-reduce-stress-and-anxiety-in-humans-study-525624">Listening to birdsongs can help alleviate stress and anxiety in humans: Study</a>

According to Elizabeth Hoge, lead author and director of Georgetown University’s anxiety disorders research programme, practising mindfulness over time, “changes the relationship people have with their own thoughts when not meditating.”&nbsp;

The lead also spoke about how this study is the first of its kind, as previous studies have proven that mindfulness helps people deal with anxiety, depression and other mental woes better than no treatment at all. But this research uses mindfulness against a psychiatric drug to draw a direct comparison, said Hoge, to the Associated Press.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-panel-recommends-screening-all-american-adults-for-anxiety-518527">Gravitas: U.S. panel recommends screening all American adults for anxiety</a>

Researchers also used a seven-point psychiatric scale with one being a sign of severe anxiety and seven being the lowest on the scale, to measure the severity of the participant’s anxiety. The average score, prior to the treatment was 4.5 which started to decline to nearly a three on the scale after only two months into the study. Notably, the two groups, one on medication and the other practising mindfulness were assigned at random.&nbsp;

The results were based on approximately 200 adults who suffered from anxiety with varying degrees of severity and took place over six months at three medical centres in Washington, Boston and New York. In the span of two months, the severity of people’s anxiety was reduced by nearly 30 per cent in the subjects from both groups and witnessed a steady decline thereafter.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/report-fires-heat-waves-cause-climate-anxiety-in-youth-488683">Report: Fires, heat waves cause 'climate anxiety' in youth</a>

However, ten participants dropped out over the course of the study when they faced side effects which could be related to the anxiety drug and experienced symptoms like insomnia, nausea and fatigue. Meanwhile, at least 13 participants in the MBSR group reported an increase in their symptoms related to anxiety.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

A study published on Wednesday shows that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) worked just as well as a standard drug prescribed for treating anxiety in people.

A study published on Wednesday shows that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) worked just as well as a standard drug prescribed for treating anxiety in people. The results were based on the daily use of a popular mindfulness programme by the participants while others were given a generic drug sold under the brand name Lexapro commonly used for treating anxiety and depression. Anxiety disorders are quite common as well as highly distressing and can disrupt a person’s day-to-day life, the various types of disorders include social and generalised anxiety and panic attacks. On the other hand, mindfulness refers to a type of meditation which asks a person to focus only on the present moment and dismiss any and all intrusive thoughts. The mindfulness programme included two and a half hours of classes every week and daily practising at home for at least 45 minutes, said the study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. ALSO READ: Listening to birdsongs can help alleviate stress and anxiety in humans: Study According to Elizabeth Hoge, lead author and director of Georgetown University’s anxiety disorders research programme, practising mindfulness over time, “changes the relationship people have with their own thoughts when not meditating.” The lead also spoke about how this study is the first of its kind, as previous studies have proven that mindfulness helps people deal with anxiety, depression and other mental woes better than no treatment at all. But this research uses mindfulness against a psychiatric drug to draw a direct comparison, said Hoge, to the Associated Press. ALSO WATCH: Gravitas: U.S. panel recommends screening all American adults for anxiety Researchers also used a seven-point psychiatric scale with one being a sign of severe anxiety and seven being the lowest on the scale, to measure the severity of the participant’s anxiety. The average score, prior to the treatment was 4.5 which started to decline to nearly a three on the scale after only two months into the study. Notably, the two groups, one on medication and the other practising mindfulness were assigned at random. The results were based on approximately 200 adults who suffered from anxiety with varying degrees of severity and took place over six months at three medical centres in Washington, Boston and New York. In the span of two months, the severity of people’s anxiety was reduced by nearly 30 per cent in the subjects from both groups and witnessed a steady decline thereafter. ALSO READ: Report: Fires, heat waves cause 'climate anxiety' in youth However, ten participants dropped out over the course of the study when they faced side effects which could be related to the anxiety drug and experienced symptoms like insomnia, nausea and fatigue. Meanwhile, at least 13 participants in the MBSR group reported an increase in their symptoms related to anxiety. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Study shows practising mindfulness worked as well as medication prescribed for anxiety

According to a study, experts have shown how minutes of mindful breathing exercises can physically lower blood pressure as effectively as medication. The idea is that deep breathing is like muscle training for ones’ diaphragm and other muscles involved in breathing which promotes heart health and effectively reduces high blood pressure.&nbsp;

The experiment was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona, in the United States. The study looked at 128 volunteers, healthy adults between the age of 18 to 82 for the span of six weeks.&nbsp;

The participants were given a $32 PowerBreath device for 5 to 10 minutes each day. PowerBreathe is a resistance-breathing training device which looks like an inhaler. When people breathe into the handheld device it provides resistance making it harder to inhale. According to the study, within two weeks people started to see improvement with very few side effects.&nbsp;

“We found that doing 30 breaths per day for six weeks lowers systolic blood pressure by about 9 millimeters of mercury,” researcher Daniel Craighead, an integrative physiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, told NPR. He also went on to explain how these readings are close to what they would expect from common aerobic exercises like walking, running or cycling.&nbsp;

This reading was also on par with many commonly prescribed medications given to patients to lower blood pressure, suggests previous studies. Meanwhile, the older volunteers for this study who had high blood pressure benefitted and saw the most notable results, while it also helped younger volunteers.&nbsp;

According to Craighead, they expect that the longer the participants would practice their blood pressure would lower further. He added that people who have unhealthy levels of blood pressure can benefit from this by adding to their routine.&nbsp;

While the normal blood pressure reading is less than or about 120/80 mmHg, high blood pressure or hypertension is diagnosed in patients with an average reading of 130/80 mmHg or higher, said the CDC. As the study noted, the volunteers’ blood pressure lowered by at least 9 millimetres of mercury in the first number, which is the kind of reduction that is seen with blood pressure medication, said a physician to NPR.&nbsp;

High blood pressure and hypertension can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes if left untreated. People who smoke, do not exercise or maintain a healthy diet or are under chronic stress are especially vulnerable and at risk of experiencing high blood pressure.&nbsp; 
 
However, &nbsp;Craighead has warned that this technique is not to replace exercise or medication for people who have high blood pressure; it would be a “good additive intervention” for people who lead a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

According to a study, experts have shown how minutes of mindful breathing exercises can physically lower blood pressure as effectively as medication. The idea is that deep breathing is like muscle training for ones’ diaphragm and other muscles involved in breathing which promotes heart health and effectively reduces high blood pressure.

According to a study, experts have shown how minutes of mindful breathing exercises can physically lower blood pressure as effectively as medication. The idea is that deep breathing is like muscle training for ones’ diaphragm and other muscles involved in breathing which promotes heart health and effectively reduces high blood pressure. The experiment was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona, in the United States. The study looked at 128 volunteers, healthy adults between the age of 18 to 82 for the span of six weeks. The participants were given a $32 PowerBreath device for 5 to 10 minutes each day. PowerBreathe is a resistance-breathing training device which looks like an inhaler. When people breathe into the handheld device it provides resistance making it harder to inhale. According to the study, within two weeks people started to see improvement with very few side effects. “We found that doing 30 breaths per day for six weeks lowers systolic blood pressure by about 9 millimeters of mercury,” researcher Daniel Craighead, an integrative physiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, told NPR. He also went on to explain how these readings are close to what they would expect from common aerobic exercises like walking, running or cycling. This reading was also on par with many commonly prescribed medications given to patients to lower blood pressure, suggests previous studies. Meanwhile, the older volunteers for this study who had high blood pressure benefitted and saw the most notable results, while it also helped younger volunteers. According to Craighead, they expect that the longer the participants would practice their blood pressure would lower further. He added that people who have unhealthy levels of blood pressure can benefit from this by adding to their routine. While the normal blood pressure reading is less than or about 120/80 mmHg, high blood pressure or hypertension is diagnosed in patients with an average reading of 130/80 mmHg or higher, said the CDC. As the study noted, the volunteers’ blood pressure lowered by at least 9 millimetres of mercury in the first number, which is the kind of reduction that is seen with blood pressure medication, said a physician to NPR. High blood pressure and hypertension can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes if left untreated. People who smoke, do not exercise or maintain a healthy diet or are under chronic stress are especially vulnerable and at risk of experiencing high blood pressure. However, Craighead has warned that this technique is not to replace exercise or medication for people who have high blood pressure; it would be a “good additive intervention” for people who lead a healthy lifestyle. (With inputs from agencies)

Minutes of daily breathing exercises can lower blood pressure, study finds

Mindfulness Summit: Well-being coaches, leaders speak their experience on mindfulness

mindfulness

Mindfulness, News on Mindfulness, stories on Mindfulness, articles on Mindfulness, Mindfulness stories at Wion, Mindfulness news, Mindfulness latest news