If you’ve ever tried to find ways to reduce stress and sleep better, chances are you’ve heard of mindfulness. But what is mindfulness exactly? Take a deep breath and come with us on a journey through mindfulness...

The NHS describes what some people call mindfulness as paying attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you.

Mindfulness as a practice has its origins in Buddhism. People have been practicing mindfulness for thousands of years – it just took quite a while to catch on in Western countries.

You can practice mindfulness as part of a meditation, but it’s not required – and there’s lots of mediation practices that aren’t based on mindfulness, so the two aren’t synonyms.

You don’t have to identify as religious or spiritual to practice mindfulness. Anyone can give it a try.

And being mindful can be as simple as pausing to take notice of your thoughts, feelings and body. It’s all about taking note without passing judgment.

Starting mindfulness is as easy as deciding to begin, but getting good at mindfulness takes practice. It’s a skill you can work on.

When you’re just getting started, you might feel a little strange. You might not be used to paying so much attention to how you’re feeling physically and mentally.

But if you stick with it, you might just find that taking that time to notice how you’re doing reduces your anxiety levels. Mindfulness can help you feel calmer, and can also support you to choose how to respond to your thoughts and feelings.

With time and practice, mindfulness can help you be kinder to yourself, and identify patterns in your thoughts that may not be helpful.

“Will mindfulness work for me”, we hear you ask. The answer is “maybe”! Contrary to Yoda’s popular wisdom, there actually is a try. The best way to find out whether mindfulness is right for you is by giving it a whirl.

When you try your hand at mindfulness, one of the most important things is to be kind and patient with yourself. Don’t expect to nail it the first time around – keep trying if you feel it’s helping.

Tried it a few times and still not feeling right? It’s okay if you feel mindfulness isn’t for you. Our minds are all wonderfully unique, and what works for your friend or colleague may not work for you. That’s fine!

Have we piqued your interest? You can find out more about mindfulness via the NHS here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mindfulness/

Not your bag? There’s lots of other ways you can work on your mental health. We recommend @OneYouPHE's #EveryMindMatters as a brilliant resource full of practical tips: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

And of course, don’t forget to join our movement via http://www.bmicandoit.co.uk  to eat well, sleep well and move more – to help you live a healthier, happier life. #BMICanDoIt