What is mindfulness and how is it related to tinnitus?

Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the first visionaries to see the potential applications of mindfulness within western medicine, has defined mindfulness as:

The awareness that arises from paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, moment-by-moment, and nonjudgmentally.

I like this definition a lot.

However, there are many misconceptions about mindfulness and the practice of meditation:

For instance:

Mindfulness is not a religious exercise. 

It is not a relaxation technique.

It is not a quick fix- a mindfulness practice takes time to develop, and the benefits are achieved from regular repetition.

Mindfulness is not a new hippie fad- in fact, the concepts of this practice have been refined over thousands of years.

And it's not a technique employed with the goal of achieving some blissful sensation. 

Instead, I like to think of mindfulness in these terms:

• It is the applied art of conscious living, another quote from Jon Kabat-Zinn

• It is a way of training or re-wiring our brains- and this view is supported by neuroscience research 

• Mindfulness is a way to change the lens through which we experience life 

• And finally, it can be thought of as learning to thoughtfully surf the inevitable waves of our life experiences 

There is a growing body of clinical research that has demonstrated how valuable mindfulness interventions can be in reducing the severity of tinnitus. 

In fact, two randomized controlled trials (for researchers, this kind of study provides the strongest level of evidence) have demonstrated that mindfulness interventions can improve tinnitus. 

I know that some people may express doubts or raise an eyebrow when we discuss a treatment like mindfulness meditation, but this is an intervention that is supported by science and multiple clinical research studies. The benefits are real and the risk is almost zero. 

So, how does mindfulness work? 

Research indicates that mindfulness practice actually changes our biology. 

Mindfulness interventions have been shown to reduce cortisol levels in the blood (which is one of our stress hormones).

Another study demonstrated that those in a mindfulness program displayed a more robust immune response to the flu vaccine when compared with normal people not in a mindfulness program. 

Mindfulness interventions have been shown in numerous studies to reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, and pain. 

Mindfulness practice appears to slow molecular processes involved in cellular aging.

Multiple studies have documented that people who engage in mindfulness meditation have structural differences in several areas of the brain compared with non-meditating people. These include increased volumes of brain areas involved in learning, problem solving, emotional regulation and memory and a decreased volume of the amygdala (one of the main structures of the limbic system that we feel plays an important role in tinnitus perpetuation). These changes are thought due to acquired modifications in neural connectivity brought about by the regular mental exercises involved in a mindfulness practice. This process of changing the structure and wiring of our brains in response to learning, repetitive activities, or other influences is called neuroplasticity. I find this an exciting concept, that we actually have more influence over the structure and function of our own brains than previously thought. We can increase the size and alter the activity of certain areas of our brain through mental exercise like a weight lifter can increase the size of their muscles with repeated physical exercise.

Helping people develop mindfulness skills is an integral part of the Alleviate Integrative Tinnitus Therapy program. We have so much to share with you based on of years of experience helping thousands of tinnitus sufferers. Let us help you reclaim the silence.

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