Mindfulness and Its Role in Reducing The Risk of Depression

Written by Manal Usmani and Edited By Kevin Liu

Recently, the apps “Calm” and “Headspace” have gained increasing popularity among individuals seeking guided mindfulness practices. The Mayo Clinic defines mindfulness as “a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment” [1]. Common results of practicing mindfulness are stress relief, increased quality of sleep, and a possible decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure—how much pressure your heart exerts and the amount of pressure on your arteries in between beats, respectively [2]. Scientific studies suggest that these results could be an outcome of strengthening connections between brain structures regulating emotions and anti-inflammatory actions of mindfulness practices [3] [4].

Novel research has demonstrated that mindfulness can also reduce the risk of clinical depression, commonly referred to as major depression [5] [6]. As of 2017, more than 17 million adults in the US reported having at least one major depressive episode in the past year [7]. A major depressive episode involves experiencing symptoms like low energy, persistent lack of motivation, and/or issues with daily activities such as eating, sleeping, or staying focused on tasks for at least two weeks [7]. Suffering from some or all of these symptoms for two weeks or longer means that a person may be suffering from clinical depression [8].

The risk for having multiple and/or long depressive episodes heavily depends on four emotional regulation variables: worry, rumination, reappraisal, and suppression [6] [9]. The Parmentier research group showed that decreases in worry and rumination were the most impactful variables in significantly reducing the onset of depressive symptoms [5]. Additionally, the Prakash group revealed that reducing avoidance of thoughts and instead acknowledging them without an immediate emotional response, can decrease the risk of developing depressive symptoms [9]. Acknowledgment without reaction helps one observe the thoughts crossing his/her mind from a distance, enhancing their capability to regulate emotional responses. This finding is consistent with studies mentioned earlier suggesting enhanced connections between emotional centers in the brain contribute to the positive effects of mindfulness [3].

However, there are mixed findings for which specific mindfulness exercises are most effective for decreasing the risk for depression. Future studies should focus on this topic in order to develop exercise plans that patients can reliably follow. There are also some limitations to the applicability of mindfulness as a preventative measure for depression. Some people naturally have chemical imbalances that will lead to a depression diagnosis regardless of mindfulness exercises, so the effectiveness of these methods will vary between individuals. There is a high prevalence of depression amongst middle and high schoolers, and as a result, counseling departments should consider teaching students the importance of mindfulness. To all individuals who experience stress or have busy schedules, it is imperative to give mindfulness a try for just 10 minutes during the day.

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