Introducing mindfulness practice in schools could reduce societal mental health issues

Written by Alexandra Donaldson

Mindfulness has become the trend of the times. Our society has seen a burst of yoga culture, meditation retreats, and mental health awareness. The rise of apps such as Calm and Headspace have brought nirvana to our fingertips, making prioritizing our emotional wellbeing more attainable than ever.

But this mindfulness movement has begun to expand beyond our yoga mats and into the classroom. Many schools are now exploring the benefits of introducing these practices to children at a young age in the hopes of better emotional wellbeing later in life.

In recent years, mental health issues among Americans have been on the rise, specifically among adolescents. Research has shown that over 5.2 million children ages 3 to 17 have diagnosed anxiety disorders, while over 2.3 million struggle with depression.

This issue has only been worsened by the pandemic. Young children were suddenly faced with major life disruptions such as school closures, social isolation from peers, and general fear of the unknown. But, unlike adults, children have little to no means of coping with these struggles. A study conducted in October of 2020 showed that 31% of parents expressed concerns about their child’s mental well-being following the pandemic.

The effects of these life changes have been devastating. Emergency departments around the United States are reporting a rise in visits from children in mental health emergencies over the last year. Suicide rates among children alarming, showing a 60% increase over the last 20 years. It has become the second-leading cause of death among teens.

In recent years, experts have been on the hunt for a solution to this mental health crisis. Mindfulness has become the popular answer. Stemming from Buddhist tradition, this practice is defined as “a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.”

Mindfulness was first brought into mainstream western culture through the work of Jon Zabat Kimm in the 1970s. His program, known as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MSBR), emphasizes the use of meditation as a coping strategy for daily life.

Since then, the benefits of mindfulness and meditation practices have been studied by some of the world’s top researchers. Studies have shown that these practices are positively correlated with reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety. It also is found to reduce stress, increase immune system function, improve attention skills and decision making, and improve ones’ sense of self.

Kylie Curtin, a holistic therapist based in Hoboken, New Jersey, has spent the last eight years studying psychology and mindfulness. Combining her studies with her extensive experience as a yoga and meditation teacher, her sessions with clients focus on implementing mindfulness techniques to guide them in achieving a sense of clarity and peace.

“Mindfulness is a great tool that can be used to tame the mind and bring someone into a place of ‘being’ rather than a place of ‘doing,’ ” said Curtin.She finds that meditation has been the most powerful tool, both in her client’s growth and her own.

She explained that meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body relax by bringing it into a rest and repair state as opposed to a fight or flight state. This results in improved self-regulation and behavior management, reduced impulsivity and increased emotional intelligence.

Despite the substantial benefits of mindfulness practices, many Americans aren’t introduced to these coping skills until much later in life. Many have wondered: What would happen if we introduced these techniques to children? How would this effect their mental wellbeing later in life?

Dr. Heather Martin is a teaching professor of writing at the University of Denver. After experiencing the profound benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction in her own life, she developed a program to bring these tools to local middle school students.

“I was a severely shy kid,” Martin explained. “I was full of stress and anxiety, and held all of it inside my body. My interior life was tumultuous and chaotic. It was transformative for me to learn (at a much later age) that I am not my brain, and that I am not that inner-monologue. It was transformative to learn that through breathing and visualization, I can quiet the noise inside my body. My goal is to help youngsters who are coping with lots of internal and external stressors use simple and effective tools to quiet the mind and find peace in everyday moments and spaces.”

She does so through a practice known as alternating sensory awareness. Martin has students lay on the floor and focus on their breathing. After a few moments, she begins to walk them through each of their five senses, allowing them to focus on the feeling of being in their own bodies.

“The students are changed when they open their eyes. You can see a calm on their faces. It’s really quite profound. After the activity, they are quieter and better able to focus,” said Martin.Martin is not the first to introduce mindfulness to the classroom. Many K-12 schools around the country have begun to implement similar programs into their curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to teach students tools such as breathing techniques, mindful listening, and meditation.

Companies such as CASEL are dedicated to providing all children access to social and emotional learning. They guide schools through implementing curriculum and creating healthy learning environments for children to develop these mindfulness skills.

Many have found this to be extremely beneficial. Elementary teachers find mindfulness to have an astonishingly positive effect on their classroom, noticing children demonstrating higher levels of self-regulation, attentiveness, and self-soothing.

One study showed that students trained in mindfulness had 24% more social behaviors, showed 20% less aggression, and generally showed higher levels of optimism, compassion, and emotional regulation than students who were not.

Brian Dubow is a Certified Happiness Trainer dedicated to helping people improve their emotional wellbeing. Studying happiness and wellness was extremely moving to him, and he believes learning these tools as children would be lifechanging for future generations.

“Many of our adult habits and tendencies are rooted in our upbringing and education,” said Dubow. “By teaching children about happiness and emotional wellbeing from a young age, they can build the keystone habits which will set them up for future success. This includes prioritizing things like physical health, relationships and passions-driven endeavors which help us become more engaged and present in our lives.”

The hope for these programs is that mindful children will grow into mindful adults, reducing the rate of mental health issues long term. By teaching children coping mechanisms earlier in life, experts believe that they will have lower rates of anxiety and depression.

Mariel Snyder, 26, was first introduced to mindfulness in college. She now uses yoga, meditation, and guided writing as a means of coping with her high stress job as an executive assistant, and considers it a crucial part of her life.“Looking back now, I can see the anxiety I carried growing up,” said Snyder. “I just had no idea how to deal with that. We just aren’t taught those things as a kid.”

Snyder believes that had more people in her age group been exposed to mindfulness as children, they would have an easier time managing the stresses of daily life.

“We enter the real world and are expected to manage social lives and work, and at the same time we are just learning how to take care of ourselves and our emotional wellbeing. It’s overwhelming. Learning about how to cope with anxiety as a child would definitely have eased a lot of tension millennials face today,” said Snyder.