COP 3: Research- Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

MBSR is a programme that incorporates mindfulness to help people with pain and a range of conditions and life issues that were initially difficult to treat within hospitals. It was developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre in the early 1970's by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn. The programme uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness and yoga to help people become more mindful. 

MBSR is a group programme that focuses upon the progressive acquisition of mindful awareness, of mindfulness. The MBSR programme is an eight-week workshop taught by certified trainers that entails weekly group meetings (two-hour classes) and a one-day retreat (six-hour mindfulness practice) between sessions six and seven, homework (45 minutes daily), and instruction in three formal techniques: mindfulness meditation, body scanning and simple yoga postures. 

Body scanning is the first prolonged formal mindfulness technique taught during the first four weeks of the workshop, and entails quietly lying on one's back and focusing one's attention on various regions of the body, starting with the toes and moving up slowly to the top of the head. 

MBSR is based on the following tenets: non-judging, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, beginner’s mind, patience, trust, and non-centering.

It has been shown to reduce anxiety levels by 58% and stress by 40%. In a research study by Oxford University into individuals with 'problematic' levels of stress, a significant improvement in perceived levels of stress over the course of the online mindfulness intervention was found (Krusche et al, 2013). The findings of this research were consistent with other studies, which showed that changes in mindfulness 'precede changes in perceived stress' (Baer et al, 2012).

Mindfulness-based stress reduction classes and programs are offered by various facilities including hospitals, retreat centers, and various yoga facilities. Typically the programs focus on teaching,

• mind and body awareness to reduce the physiological effects of stress, pain or illness 
• non-judgemental awareness in daily life 
• promote serenity and clarity in each moment
• to experience more joyful life and access inner resources for healing and stress management 
• progressive muscle relaxation 
• mindfulness meditation