Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and less judgement.

It is widely used for stress reduction and emotional wellbeing.

Lets find you a Mindfulness Practitioner...

Mindfulness helps people relate differently to thoughts and emotions rather than trying to eliminate them. It can be practised through meditation, movement and everyday activities.

What happens in mindfulness training?

You will learn guided practices such as breathing exercises and body awareness, often with suggested home practice between sessions.

What can mindfulness help with?

Anxiety and rumination
Stress management
Sleep support

Safety

Mindfulness is generally low risk, but if practice increases distress or dissociation, seek guidance and consider a trauma-informed approach.

History of Mindfulness

Mindfulness has roots in contemplative traditions and has been adapted into secular healthcare, psychology and wellbeing programmes.

Typical conditions that use Mindfulness

Condition	Evidence	Notes
ADHD (support / coaching alongside medical care)	strong	Mindfulness training strengthens sustained attention and helps people with ADHD notice and pause before impulsive reactions, easing restlessness and emotional overwhelm.
Chronic illness adjustment	strong	Mindfulness helps people relate differently to persistent symptoms and uncertainty, easing the distress that can accompany chronic illness.
Depression	strong	Helps prevent relapse and manage the rumination that drives depression; use with other support.
Difficulty reaching orgasm	strong	Trains attention onto present-moment bodily sensations, easing the distracting self-monitoring that can stop orgasm.
Emotional dysregulation (neurodiversity)	strong	Mindfulness builds the moment-to-moment awareness that lets neurodivergent people catch rising distress early and respond rather than react.
Emotional eating	strong	Mindfulness builds awareness of hunger, fullness and emotional cues, helping you pause before reaching for food in response to feelings.
Emotional regulation difficulties	strong	Trains you to notice rising emotions in the moment and pause before reacting, reducing their intensity and how long they linger.
Erectile dysfunction	strong	Encourages present-moment focus during intimacy, helping reduce the anticipatory anxiety that interferes with erectile response.
Feeling overwhelmed	strong	Mindfulness trains you to notice mounting pressure early and ground attention in the present, easing the sense of being swamped.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)	strong	Helps interrupt the constant worry and bodily tension of GAD.
Gut-brain stress symptoms	strong	Regular mindfulness practice calms the nervous system, helping you notice and soften the stress that stirs up gut symptoms.
Health anxiety	strong	Mindfulness helps you notice physical sensations and health worries without reacting, easing the urge to monitor or catastrophise.
Intimacy difficulties	strong	Builds present-moment awareness, helping reduce performance anxiety and self-consciousness that can interfere with intimacy.
Intrusive thoughts	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to notice intrusive thoughts without judgement, letting them pass instead of getting caught up in them.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)	strong	Mindfulness training helps you respond more calmly to gut sensations and stress, which can reduce IBS symptom severity.
Life transitions / adjustment issues	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to stay grounded in the present amid uncertainty, easing the anxiety and rumination that often accompany life changes.
Loneliness	strong	Mindfulness eases the rumination and self-criticism that often accompany loneliness, helping you feel more present and less distressed when alone.
Long-term condition coping	strong	Trains attention towards the present moment, helping people accept symptoms and reduce the strain of constant worry about health.
Low libido	strong	Teaches present-moment awareness that reduces performance anxiety and helps you reconnect with bodily sensation and arousal.
Multiple sclerosis support (adjunct)	strong	Mindfulness training can ease distress, fatigue and pain in MS, helping people stay present and cope with an uncertain disease course.
Non-restorative sleep	strong	Teaches you to settle a racing mind and lower pre-sleep arousal, easing the tension that keeps sleep light and leaves you waking unrefreshed.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)	strong	Mindfulness helps people notice intrusive thoughts without reacting to them, loosening the urge to carry out compulsions.
Painful sex (dyspareunia)	strong	Training attention away from pain anticipation can reduce the muscle tension and distress that make intercourse uncomfortable.
Parenting stress	strong	Teaches parents to stay calm and present in heated moments, easing the reactivity that fuels stress with children.
Pelvic pain	strong	MBSR-style practice that can reduce the suffering and tension around persistent pelvic pain.
People pleasing	strong	Mindfulness builds awareness of the urge to please, creating a pause so you can respond from your own values rather than fear of rejection.
Perfectionism	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to notice harsh self-judgement without acting on it, loosening the grip of perfectionistic thoughts.
Performance anxiety	strong	Teaches you to notice anxious thoughts and physical sensations without being overwhelmed, helping you stay present and composed when performing.
Phobias	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to notice anxious sensations around the trigger without reacting, loosening the grip of the fear over time.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)	strong	Mindfulness builds skills to stay grounded in the present, easing the hypervigilance, flashbacks and emotional numbing common in PTSD.
Premature ejaculation	strong	Mindfulness trains present-moment awareness of arousal cues, helping men stay calm and notice sensations rather than rushing toward climax.
Procrastination	strong	Mindfulness builds awareness of the urge to delay and the discomfort behind it, making it easier to act rather than avoid in the moment.
Resilience building	strong	Trains you to stay grounded and respond calmly to stress rather than react, strengthening your capacity to weather difficult moments.
Rumination / overthinking	strong	Mindfulness trains you to observe spiralling thoughts without getting caught in them, gently bringing attention back to the present.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)	strong	Mindfulness practice can ease the rumination and flat mood of darker months, helping you notice seasonal shifts without being overwhelmed.
Self-harm thoughts (sensitive)	strong	Teaches people to notice rising distress and urges to self-harm without acting, creating a vital pause to choose differently.
Separation / divorce support	strong	Practising present-moment awareness can ease the rumination and worry that tend to spiral during a separation.
Sexual difficulties	strong	Mindfulness helps reduce performance anxiety and reconnect with bodily sensations during intimacy.
Sexual performance anxiety (supportive)	strong	Encourages present-moment awareness so attention shifts away from anxious self-monitoring towards sensation, easing pressure during intimacy.
Shame	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to observe shameful thoughts and feelings with acceptance rather than judgement, reducing their power over you.
Skin picking (dermatillomania) support	strong	Mindfulness builds awareness of the urge to pick, helping people pause and respond differently rather than acting automatically.
Sleep anxiety	strong	Teaches you to notice anxious bedtime thoughts without battling them, loosening the struggle that keeps you alert when you want to sleep.
Social anxiety	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to notice anxious thoughts and bodily sensations before social situations without being swept up in them, easing the urge to avoid.
Stress	strong	Strong evidence for reducing stress and rumination; benefits build with regular practice.
Trauma after accident or assault	strong	Teaches grounding and breathing skills to manage flashbacks, anxiety and panic that can follow an accident or assault.
Trouble falling asleep	strong	Calms the racing thoughts and arousal that delay sleep onset.
Trouble staying asleep	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to let go of nagging thoughts when you wake, calming the mind so you drift back rather than lying alert.
Vaginismus	strong	Mindful breathing and body awareness can lower the anxiety and tension that trigger tightening, supporting graded relaxation work.
Weight management (behaviour change support)	strong	Mindfulness builds awareness of hunger, fullness and emotional eating, helping you respond to food more deliberately.
Work-life balance	strong	Trains you to notice rising work stress and stay present off the clock, easing the constant mental spillover between work and home.
Workplace stress	strong	Mindfulness teaches you to notice and step back from stress reactions at work, lowering tension and improving focus under pressure.
Acid reflux / heartburn support	moderate	Mindfulness practice can lower the stress that often intensifies reflux, helping you respond more calmly to heartburn episodes.
Acne-related confidence concerns	moderate	Mindfulness can soften the constant self-monitoring and harsh self-judgement that acne provokes, helping confidence settle.
Addiction / dependency support	moderate	Mindfulness can help people notice cravings without acting on them, supporting relapse prevention alongside other care.
Anger issues	moderate	Builds awareness of rising tension so you can pause before anger escalates and respond more calmly to provocation.
Asthma-related anxiety support (adjunct)	moderate	Practising present-moment awareness can reduce the anticipatory worry about breathlessness that keeps asthma-related anxiety going.
Autism / ASC support	moderate	Mindfulness practices can help autistic people notice rising stress and sensory overload, supporting calmer self-regulation.
Bipolar disorder (support alongside medical care)	moderate	Practising present-moment awareness can help those with bipolar disorder notice shifting moods early and reduce stress that triggers relapse.
Body image concerns	moderate	Mindfulness can help you notice critical thoughts about your body without being ruled by them, building a kinder, less reactive relationship with yourself.
Boundary issues	moderate	Builds awareness of your feelings and limits in the moment, which can support boundary-setting; evidence here is limited.
Breathing pattern dysfunction support	moderate	Mindfulness builds calm awareness of the breath, reducing the anxious over-breathing that can sustain dysfunctional breathing patterns.
Burnout	moderate	Reduces the chronic stress and overwhelm of burnout and helps you reconnect with rest.
Cancer emotional support (men)	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the anxiety and rumination that often accompany scans and waiting periods, helping men stay grounded in the present.
Career change support	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the stress and uncertainty of changing career, helping you stay focused and make decisions with a clearer head.
Caregiver stress	moderate	Mindfulness teaches carers to notice mounting tension and stay grounded amid relentless demands, helping curb burnout.
Chronic fatigue syndrome / ME support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practices may help people with ME/CFS cope with distress and pacing, though they do not treat the underlying condition.
Communication difficulties	moderate	Mindfulness may ease the anxiety and self-consciousness that disrupt communication; evidence is limited and it works best alongside appropriate professional support.
Compulsive behaviours	moderate	Mindfulness helps you notice compulsive urges without acting on them, building tolerance of the discomfort that usually triggers the behaviour.
Confidence building	moderate	Mindfulness builds awareness of harsh self-judgement, helping you respond with self-acceptance rather than avoidance in daunting situations.
Co-parenting challenges	moderate	Supports parents in staying calm and less reactive during tense handovers or disputes; evidence is limited, so treat it as a complement to other support.
Cravings	moderate	Mindfulness teaches you to notice a craving as it arises and let it pass without acting, reducing its grip through non-reactive awareness.
Diarrhoea	moderate	Mindfulness practice can lower the stress response that triggers urgency, helping some people manage stress-related diarrhoea more calmly.
Domestic abuse recovery support (sensitive)	moderate	Mindfulness can help survivors steady overwhelming feelings and reconnect with the present; a supportive practice with limited evidence, not a substitute for care.
Eating disorder recovery support (alongside specialist care)	moderate	Mindfulness can build awareness of hunger, fullness and urges, helping interrupt restrictive or binge patterns as part of wider treatment.
Eczema stress impact support	moderate	Mindfulness practice can lower stress reactivity and reduce the urge to scratch, helping take the edge off stress-driven flares.
Endometriosis support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practice can lower the stress response that amplifies pelvic pain, helping you live more steadily with endometriosis day to day.
Exam stress	moderate	Mindfulness trains students to notice anxious thoughts without being swept up, helping them stay focused during revision and exams.
Executive dysfunction	moderate	Mindfulness can strengthen sustained attention and curb impulsive task-switching, helping you notice distraction and return to what you set out to do.
Family conflict	moderate	Mindfulness can support calmer responses during heated family moments, helping members pause rather than react; evidence is limited and it complements proper support.
Fatherhood adjustment	moderate	Mindfulness can help sleep-deprived fathers stay present and tolerate the stress of early parenting, though it works best as a support alongside other professional help.
Fatigue	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the tension and constant mental effort that compound tiredness, helping you notice and respect your body's energy limits.
Fertility stress (emotional support)	moderate	Practising present-moment awareness can lower the anxiety and rumination that often accompany fertility difficulties.
Fibromyalgia support	moderate	Helps reduce the stress and pain amplification common in fibromyalgia.
Focus and concentration difficulties	moderate	Mindfulness training builds attention by repeatedly noticing when the mind wanders and gently returning focus to the present task.
Food-related anxiety (supportive)	moderate	Mindfulness encourages calmer, present-focused eating, helping you notice anxious thoughts about food without being overwhelmed.
Friendship difficulties	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the social anxiety and self-criticism that strain friendships, helping you stay present and less reactive with others.
Gambling problems	moderate	Mindfulness can help you notice gambling cravings without acting on them and sit with difficult feelings more calmly as part of wider treatment.
Grief and bereavement	moderate	Helps you stay with the difficult feelings of grief without being overwhelmed.
Guilt	moderate	Encourages observing guilty thoughts without harsh judgement, helping you sit with difficult feelings rather than being ruled by them.
Hair loss-related distress	moderate	Practising present-moment awareness can soften self-critical thoughts and distress about appearance, alongside other support.
Headaches	moderate	Regular practice lowers stress reactivity and the muscle tension that commonly triggers headaches and migraine.
High blood pressure stress support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practice calms the body's stress response, lowering the day-to-day tension that can keep blood pressure elevated.
Imposter syndrome	moderate	Mindfulness can help you notice imposter-related anxious thoughts without being ruled by them, though it works best alongside other therapeutic support.
Indigestion / dyspepsia	moderate	Mindfulness practice may reduce stress-driven flare-ups of indigestion and help people respond more calmly to recurring upper-gut discomfort.
Insomnia	moderate	Reduces the arousal and rumination that maintain insomnia.
Intimacy concerns	moderate	Mindfulness can support being present and easing performance anxiety during intimacy, though it works best alongside professional therapy and is not a substitute for it.
Irritability	moderate	Mindfulness builds awareness of rising irritation, creating a pause before reacting; it works best as a complement to other support.
Jealousy	moderate	Mindfulness can help you notice jealous thoughts and the urge to check without acting on them, creating space to respond more calmly.
Leadership coaching goals	moderate	Mindfulness can help leaders stay composed, focused and present when making high-stakes decisions, complementing other development work.
Learning difficulties support (non-diagnostic)	moderate	Teaches calming, attention-focusing techniques that can ease stress and overwhelm and support concentration in everyday learning situations.
Libido concerns (supportive)	moderate	Mindfulness can help you stay present and reduce distracting worry during intimacy, supporting arousal alongside other recommended care.
Lipolymphoedema support	moderate	Mindfulness can ease stress and help with pain and discomfort from swollen tissue, though it is not a substitute for proper medical care.
Low energy	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the mental strain and poor sleep that often accompany low energy, helping you pace yourself and feel less wired and tired.
Low mood in men	moderate	Mindfulness can help men notice low mood without being overwhelmed, though evidence is limited and it complements proper care.
Low motivation	moderate	Helps notice and work with the avoidance and low energy behind poor motivation.
Low self-esteem	moderate	Helps you relate to self-critical thoughts with more kindness and distance.
Lymphoedema (lymphedema)	moderate	Mindfulness can help you manage the discomfort, anxiety and frustration of ongoing swelling, though it is no substitute for proper lymphoedema care.
Memory concerns (supportive)	moderate	Trains sustained attention and reduces the stress and distraction that frequently underlie everyday lapses in recall.
Menopause symptoms	moderate	Helps with the stress, sleep and mood changes of menopause.
Menstrual cramps / painful periods	moderate	Mindfulness practice can help you respond more calmly to monthly cramping, reducing how distressing the pain feels.
Migraine support	moderate	Mindfulness practice can lower the stress reactivity and tension that often precede migraines, helping people respond more calmly to pain.
Motivation and goal setting	moderate	Cultivates present-moment awareness so you notice procrastination and distraction, helping you reconnect with intentions and act on goals.
Nausea support	moderate	Bringing calm, non-judgemental attention to bodily sensations may take the edge off nausea and the distress that fuels it.
Neuralgia support	moderate	Mindfulness practice can help you observe neuralgia sensations without struggle, easing tension and the anxiety that tends to heighten the pain.
Osteoarthritis support	moderate	Mindfulness training can help people respond to chronic joint pain with less distress, improving coping and day-to-day function alongside usual care.
Panic attacks	moderate	Mindfulness teaches you to observe panic sensations without reacting, loosening the fear cycle that makes attacks escalate.
Panic disorder	moderate	Trains you to observe panic sensations without alarm as a supportive practice; evidence is limited, so use it alongside proper professional treatment.
Parkinson’s support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness can ease the stress, anxiety and low mood of living with Parkinson's, though it works best alongside standard medical care.
PCOS support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness can reduce the stress and emotional eating linked to PCOS, supporting wellbeing alongside appropriate medical care.
Perimenopause symptoms	moderate	Mindfulness practice can reduce the stress, irritability and sleep problems that often intensify during the perimenopausal transition.
Peripheral neuropathy support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practice can change how you relate to burning or tingling sensations, easing distress and improving sleep alongside medical care.
PMDD support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practice can build awareness of premenstrual mood shifts, helping you respond to PMDD symptoms with less reactivity.
Postnatal emotional support	moderate	Supports calm and presence amid the demands of new parenthood; adapt to limited time.
Post-viral fatigue support	moderate	Mindfulness practices can calm the stress response and improve rest, helping you pace activity rather than push through fatigue and crash.
Pregnancy anxiety support	moderate	Supports calm and present-moment coping through pregnancy.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)	moderate	Mindfulness practice can help women notice and accept premenstrual mood shifts, reducing the stress and reactivity that PMS often brings.
Psoriasis stress impact support	moderate	Mindfulness practices help people sit with itching and self-consciousness more calmly, easing the stress reactivity linked to psoriasis flares.
Public speaking nerves	moderate	Builds awareness of anxious thoughts and bodily tension, helping you stay grounded and present rather than overwhelmed before speaking.
Relationship stress (men)	moderate	Mindfulness can help men stay calmer during disagreements and respond less reactively, supporting better connection though it works best alongside other support.
Rheumatoid arthritis support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness practice can help you cope with persistent RA pain and the stress of living with a long-term condition, supporting emotional wellbeing.
Sciatica	moderate	Mindfulness can help you cope with persistent sciatic pain; evidence is limited and it complements rather than replaces physical treatment.
Sedentary lifestyle support	moderate	Encourages awareness of body and habits, which may help you notice cues to move; best paired with structured activity support.
Sensory overload	moderate	Mindfulness practice trains attention and grounding skills, helping you notice rising sensory overwhelm early and stay regulated rather than escalating.
Sexual wellbeing concerns (supportive)	moderate	Can help reduce anxiety and reconnect with bodily sensation during intimacy; evidence is limited, so it best supports other appropriate care.
Social isolation	moderate	Mindfulness can reduce the rumination and self-consciousness that deepen isolation, helping you feel more present in others' company.
Stammering (stuttering)	moderate	Mindfulness can support a calmer, less reactive relationship with moments of stammering, though evidence is limited and it works best alongside proper speech therapy.
Stroke recovery support (adjunct)	moderate	Mindfulness can help survivors manage post-stroke fatigue, anxiety and stress, though evidence is limited and it complements rehabilitation rather than replacing it.
Time management	moderate	Mindfulness trains present-moment attention, helping you resist distraction and notice how you actually spend your hours.
TMJ / jaw tension	moderate	Mindfulness practice can build awareness of clenching and lower the stress that tightens the jaw; it supports rather than replaces treatment.
Tremor support	moderate	Mindfulness may ease the stress and physical tension that tend to amplify tremor, helping you respond more calmly to symptoms.
Trust issues	moderate	Mindful awareness can help you notice anxious, suspicious thoughts without acting on them; offered as a complementary support where the evidence remains limited.
Vertigo support	moderate	Mindfulness practices can steady attention during dizzy episodes and lower the stress and tension that often amplify vertigo symptoms.
Voice problems	moderate	Mindfulness can lower the muscular tension and stress that tighten the throat and disrupt the voice, helping you speak with less effort.
Habit change / behaviour change	moderate	Builds awareness of habit triggers and cravings so you can respond differently.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I practise?

Short, regular practice is helpful—often 5–15 minutes daily—building gradually.

Can mindfulness be done online?

Yes. Many courses and guided sessions are available remotely.

Is mindfulness suitable if I feel distressed?

Discuss with a clinician. Pacing and support can be tailored to your situation.