Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR):

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a secular meditation therapy, with roots in  Zen Buddhism. Though designed for stress management, MBSR helps coping with chronic depression, anxiety, pain, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and skin and immune disorders. Developed in the 1970s by Jon Kabat-Zinn (described in his 1990 book Full Catastrophe Living), MBSR combines mindfulness meditation, body awareness, deep breathing, and yoga—and explores patterns of behavior, thinking, and feeling. Research links pace and intentionality of breathing with brain networks involved in mood, attention, and body awareness. Breathing slowly/deeply regulates responses to stress, with positive overall effects. Other research shows the mindful brain:

• Remodels the brain’s physical structure.
• Links to increased brain neuroplasticity — how life experience and learning change the adult brain — by maintaining its mental efficiency, capacity, and flexibility.
• Improves attention, awareness, working memory — leads to greater mental acuity.
• Slows breathing which reduces fear, anxiety, and anger (often triggered by rapid breathing)