Mindfulness exercises
Research has shown that these mindfulness techniques below can be effective in managing stress, anxiety, low mood, and helping with sleep. Mindfulness techniques are helpful as they separate thoughts from feelings. Like any exercise, mindfulness requires some practice if trying it out for the first time. There are many techniques for mindfulness. Here are just a few you may like to try:

Mindful Seeing
- Find a room with a window that looks out onto the world outside. Take a seat by the window.
- Have a look at everything you can see through the window. Imagine you are looking at this for the first time. Do not list or define the things you can see (e.g. car, cat). Just note the variety of patterns, colours, shapes and textures.
- Notice the movement of the things you can see – the sway of the trees, the rustle of leaves, the slow steps of the cat. See the view as one flow of movement.
- Do not judge anything you see. Your role is just to observe the view. If you become distracted by a thought, notice a shape or colour in your view and allow your mind to slowly move away from those thoughts.

The Five Senses
This exercise is a good form of meditation that can be used anywhere – at home, work or when out and about.
- Notice five things you can see. Try to pick something that you would not normally look at.
- Notice four things you can feel – this could be the clothes you are wearing, the chair you are sitting on, the sun on your face.
- Notice three things you can hear – this can be the sound of music, birdsong, the hum of traffic.
- Notice two things you can smell – focus on smells you would normally ignore.
- Notice one thing you can taste. If it helps, you can take sip of a drink and notice the taste in your mouth.
You can be guided through the Five Senses exercise using this video:
The Body Scan - guided meditation technique
- Lie on your back with your palms lying upwards and your feet comfortably apart, with your eyes closed. Try to keep still during the exercise.
- Focus on your breathing, the rhythm of your breaths, the sensations of inhaling and exhaling.
- Focus on your body, how it feels, the feeling of any clothing next to your skin, the surface on which you are lying. Notice the environment, the room you are in, any sounds or sensations you experience.
- Notice if there are any parts of the body that feel stiff or sore, or if they feel particularly heavy or sensitive.
- Scan your body, moving from your feet to your head, noticing how each area feels. Scan in this order:
- Feet, lower legs, knees, upper legs, pelvic region, belly, chest, lower back, upper back, shoulders, hands, arms, neck, head.
- Once this is complete, slowly open your eyes.
You can be guided through the Body Scan using this video:
- Find a room with a window that looks out onto the world outside. Take a seat by the window.
- Have a look at everything you can see through the window. Imagine you are looking at this for the first time. Do not list or define the things you can see (e.g. car, cat). Just note the variety of patterns, colours, shapes and textures.
- Notice the movement of the things you can see – the sway of the trees, the rustle of leaves, the slow steps of the cat. See the view as one flow of movement.
- Do not judge anything you see. Your role is just to observe the view. If you become distracted by a thought, notice a shape or colour in your view and allow your mind to slowly move away from those thoughts.

This exercise is a good form of meditation that can be used anywhere – at home, work or when out and about.
- Notice five things you can see. Try to pick something that you would not normally look at.
- Notice four things you can feel – this could be the clothes you are wearing, the chair you are sitting on, the sun on your face.
- Notice three things you can hear – this can be the sound of music, birdsong, the hum of traffic.
- Notice two things you can smell – focus on smells you would normally ignore.
- Notice one thing you can taste. If it helps, you can take sip of a drink and notice the taste in your mouth.
You can be guided through the Five Senses exercise using this video:
- Lie on your back with your palms lying upwards and your feet comfortably apart, with your eyes closed. Try to keep still during the exercise.
- Focus on your breathing, the rhythm of your breaths, the sensations of inhaling and exhaling.
- Focus on your body, how it feels, the feeling of any clothing next to your skin, the surface on which you are lying. Notice the environment, the room you are in, any sounds or sensations you experience.
- Notice if there are any parts of the body that feel stiff or sore, or if they feel particularly heavy or sensitive.
- Scan your body, moving from your feet to your head, noticing how each area feels. Scan in this order:
- Feet, lower legs, knees, upper legs, pelvic region, belly, chest, lower back, upper back, shoulders, hands, arms, neck, head.
- Once this is complete, slowly open your eyes.
You can be guided through the Body Scan using this video: