Mindfulness, Attention, & High Stress – Training Our Minds To Strengthen Our Resilience. Amishi Jha, Ph.D. Podcast Thursday Sep 03, 2020. The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation Podcast on Podbean. https://oxfordmindfulness.podbean.com/e/podcast-12-mindfulness-attention-and-high-stress-training-our-minds-to-strengthen-our-resilience/
In this podcast Dr. Amishi Jha explains how the brain’s attention system works, and discusses how mindfulness training can strengthen and improve attention. Her research uses techniques like functional MRI and brain wave recordings and behavioral measures to study attention. In this podcast Dr. Jha explains that attention is the brain’s ability to notice and focus on specific information, both from our external environment and our internal thoughts and emotions. Dr. Jha describes the attention system as “essentially the lifeblood of our experience”.
“It is a crucial part of our everyday experiences and plays a role in our ability to learn, solve problems, and perform tasks effectively”. Dr. Jha describes attention as being made up of three main systems: the orienting system, the alerting system, and the executive system. The orienting system is like a flashlight, allowing us to direct our attention to specific things in our environment or within our minds. The alerting system keeps us vigilant and ready to perceive information. The executive system acts as a manager, overseeing and coordinating our attention to keep us aligned with our goals. Under high levels of stress, these attention systems can become compromised. For example, stress can cause our attention to get stuck on negative thoughts or distract us from important tasks. It can also lead to variability in our attention, making our responses inconsistent. Additionally, stress can disrupt our ability to perceive and lead to poor mood. Mindfulness training, such as focused attention practices, can help strengthen our attention system and counteract the negative effects of stress. By intentionally directing and maintaining our attention on specific sensations, such as the breath, we can exercise and improve our attentional abilities. Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to protect against the decline in attention caused by stress and can lead to more steady and focused attention. The benefits of mindfulness training increase with regular practice, similar to how physical exercise improves fitness. It is important to pay attention to our attention and regularly engage in mindfulness practices to maintain and strengthen this valuable brain resource. Mindfulness training can be particularly helpful for individuals who experience high levels of stress and need strong attention skills, such as emergency service workers, medical professionals, and military personnel. Finally, Dr. Jha emphasizes that her findings are relevant to all individuals.
