Mindfulness improves reading comprehension and concentration


If you think that your inability to concentrate is irreparable, you are wrong. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara, two weeks of mindfulness practice (or mindfulness) can significantly improve your reading comprehension and your ability to concentrate.

This research was recently published in the journal Psychological Science.

meditation

"What surprised me the most was the clarity of the results"said Michael Mrazek, lead author of the study, «It would not have been unusual to find contradictory results. But the conclusions were very clear. "

Many psychologists define attention as a state of non-distraction characterized by a full relationship with the task we are doing or with the situation in which we find ourselves. However, our day to day is usually anything but conscious. We tend to replay past events or to think ahead, like our plans for the weekend.

The distracted mind is not a serious problem in many circumstances, but in tasks that require attention, the ability to stay focused is critical.

To investigate whether mindfulness training can reduce mind wanderings and thereby improve performance, scientists 48 students were randomly assigned to two different classes: one class taught mindfulness practice and the other class covered fundamental issues in nutrition. Both classes were taught by professionals with extensive teaching experience in their fields. A week before class, students received two tests related to reading and concentration. In them the wandering of the mind was measured.

Mindfulness classes consisted of a conceptual introduction and a practical instruction on how to practice mindfulness in performing tasks and in everyday life. Meanwhile, nutrition class taught strategies for healthy eating.

A week after classes ended, the students were tested again. Their results indicated that the group that attended the Mindfulness class improved significantly in the tests carried out. There was no change in the students who attended the nutrition classes.

“This research rigorously demonstrates that mindfulness can reduce mind wanderings. To train attention can clearly improve reading skills »said Mrazek.

Mrazek and the rest of the research team are examining whether the benefits of mindfulness can be extrapolated to a complete personal development program, which also targets nutrition, exercise, sleep, and relationships.

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