The youth of today are subject to a whirlwind of problems that have never before been seen in human society, in mass. You’ve only got to turn on the news to hear stories of young people and adults that have been subject to an array of domesticated problems.
These include exposure to violent situations, disrupted families and ‘falling in with the wrong crowd’. Other stressful situations included risky sexual activities and substance abuse.
To confirm these events, a ten-year study was conducted by Jacinda Dariotis, a public health researcher at the University of Cincinnati. The young people were between the ages of 18-24, from a range of backgrounds and consisted of 125 individuals.
The initial findings showed that only a very small number of these people were implementing their own coping strategies that would help later in life. This is worrying in terms of mental health. However, the study did reveal that the young people who voluntarily partook in activities such as reading books, playing games or sports where also much better off.
Mindfulness Meditation
Some of these other activities included yoga and mindfulness meditation. The individuals that engaged in these activities were far less likely to partake in risky sexual activities and substance consumption and led to a more positive outlook for the future.
As part of the study, the group partook in a weekly mindful yoga session. The students were shown how to control and focus on their breathing. This, in turn, helped them to deal and process their feelings and emotions.
In all, this also helped them to develop long-term coping strategies. This allowed them to live the lives they wanted to live, rather than being burdened with thoughts of the past.
As a result of the study, the group involved have stated how beneficial mindful yoga could be. One suggestion implies having mindful yoga programs set up in schools for everybody to get involved in. This could have an extremely beneficial effect on young people that will reflect in the rest of their future lives.
We state the benefits of meditation, yoga and mindfulness every day. However, by educating others about the many benefits this can hold, you could be changing somebody’s life forever.
We all have friends and family that go through hard times, regardless of whether they are old or young. If you’ve felt better thanks to meditation, why not share your experiences with them, so they can feel the same.