Unity Challenge: Mindfulness

Take control of your mind and perform at your peak by using effective mindfulness techniques employed by elite athletes

Unity Challenge: Mindfulness

Being mindful is having a moment-by-moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. It's being more aware of your surroundings. It's not letting anger ruin your game. It's commiting new movements to muscle memory more easily. Even better? It's simpler than you might think.

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From P Diddy's guided sleep meditation to full cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) courses, there are loads of helpful apps that will guide you through simple mindfulness exercises. Your first challenge this week is simply to download an app you like the sound of and start using it. Don't know where to start? Read our guide to the best mindfulness and meditation apps.

Practice makes perfect

Practice mindfulness every day

Research shows mindful meditation literally changes your brain chemistry, with MRI scans showing growth in the hippocampus – the area related to memory and learning – and reductions of grey matter in the amygdala in people who practiced mindful meditation for 30mins a day.

The good news? You don't need to shave your head and start chanting mantras to reap the brain-boosting benefits of mindfulness. Simply find a quite place, get comfortable and fire up your app of choice. Or you could try mindful eating or mindful running/walking. It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you practice for at least 20 minutes every day this week

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