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How are you doing?������

In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s okay for your answer to be “not so good.” Dealing with the spread of the novel����can be stressful. You may now be working from home while also caring for and homeschooling children or worried about the health of a loved one.��

People are well-equipped to handle stress, but chronic stress that endures over weeks or months can negatively impact the human body, from the immune system to the heart.��Stress is also linked with anxiety or depression.��

But��there are certain activities that can be done to reduce these negative��emotions, such as��mindfulness through meditation.����

What is��mindfulness?��

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction, or MBSR, mindfulness is defined��as “moment-to-moment nonjudgment awareness.”��

“So��it’s being fully present in the moment and��paying attention��on��purpose,” said Dr. Susan Evans, a professor of psychology and clinical psychiatry at �ձ�avɫ��Ƭ,��during the 92nd��Street Y’s MIND Your Health Summit, which took place this past fall.��“In other words, training our minds and brains to be right here and right now.”��

What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?��

Mindfulness is achieved through the practice of meditation. Meditation is a skill that requires practice.����

“It’s just like playing the piano. You wouldn’t expect yourself to sit down if you’ve never played before and play a Beethoven concert,” said Emily��Herzlin, a mind body instructor at �ձ�avɫ��Ƭ.��

At first, people may find themselves falling asleep during meditation. Dr. Evans suggests sitting in a chair as opposed to lying down, to stay awake. But��Herzlin��doesn’t necessarily view falling asleep as a bad thing.��

“I would just say, ‘Oh my body's in this process of learning that it can be awake and at ease at the same time.’ And it's okay that you’re tired,”��Herzlin��said.����

As a discipline, mindfulness requires time and effort. And at times, it can be challenging. “In��the practice,��you're just being with everything. And sometimes that could be the good, the bad and the ugly,” Dr. Evans said.����

Can mindfulness help you sleep?��

Yes! There are a few mindfulness techniques that can be utilized to better fall asleep.��Herzlin��recommends doing a breathing meditation or a “body scan,” which is a meditation that involves paying attention to various parts of the body, from head to toe in a gradual sequence.����

Is there an��app��for that?��

“Remember that mindfulness is just one piece of the puzzle,”��Herzlin��said. “Nutrition, staying active, sleep, staying connected. All of those things are the rest.”��