{"id":3934,"date":"2024-03-13T14:45:24","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T03:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/?p=3934"},"modified":"2025-06-05T17:34:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T06:34:47","slug":"mindfulnesspracticesforcardiovascularwellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/mindfulnesspracticesforcardiovascularwellness\/","title":{"rendered":"Mindfulness practices for cardiovascular wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia has been falling for the past 10 years, it is still a significant health issue. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abs.gov.au\/statistics\/health\/health-conditions-and-risks\/heart-stroke-and-vascular-disease\/latest-release\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in 2022 one in twenty Australians (around 1.3 million people) had heart, stroke or cardiovascular disease<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The decline in CVD-related deaths can be attributed to research into risk factors, medications and the effectiveness of interventions such as lifestyle modifications, medication and medical procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One intervention that may be effective is the practice of mindfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we will talk about what mindfulness is and how it can support cardiovascular health.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Understanding cardiovascular health<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good cardiovascular health means that the heart, lungs and blood vessels are able to effectively transport blood and oxygen around the body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018Cardiovascular disease\u2019 is a term that covers a group of conditions, many of which involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels. These conditions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cardiac arrest \u2013 where the heart stops beating<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heart attack \u2013 when a blockage stops blood flow to the heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stroke \u2013 when the blood supply to the brain is cut off by a blockage or the rupture of an artery.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can find out about the signs of cardiovascular problems<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/signsofheartproblems\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risk factors for CVD can be modifiable (meaning you can do something about them) and non-modifiable (those you cannot change).<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><strong>Non-modifiable risk factors for CVD include:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">having a family history of CVD<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ethnic background \u2013 Indigenous Australians are at higher risk of developing CVD than non-Indigenous Australians and are more likely to develop it at a younger age<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">age \u2013 CVD is most common in people over 50 and the risk increases as you get older<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">biological sex \u2013 men are more likely to develop CVD at an earlier age than women<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">living with diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><strong>Modifiable risk factors for CVD include:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">smoking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high blood pressure (hypertension)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high cholesterol<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eating an unhealthy diet\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">being at an unhealthy weight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">alcohol\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not doing the recommended amount of physical exercise<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The way to lower the risk of developing CVD is to take action to decrease modifiable risk factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The link between stress and cardiovascular health<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic (long-term) stress can have a negative impact on the heart and blood vessels by contributing to the development of the following conditions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High blood pressure \u2013 this puts pressure on the arteries, which can damage them and contribute to atherosclerosis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atherosclerosis \u2013 this is where cholesterol builds up on the walls of the blood vessels, forming a fatty substance known as plaque. Over time, the amount of plaque grows, narrowing the blood vessels and reducing blood flow. This can lead to heart attack or stroke.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arteriosclerosis (aka \u2018hardening of the arteries\u2019) \u2013 where blood vessels become thickened and stiff, restricting blood flow around the body.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflammation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stress can also negatively influence the modifiable risk factors for CVD: it can increase a person\u2019s tendency to smoke, eat and unhealthy diet, not do the recommended amount of exercise and consume excessive amounts of alcohol.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stress levels can be reduced by mindfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mindfulness defined<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness is the practice of repeatedly focusing your awareness on the present moment. Although the technique has roots in Buddhism, you do not need to have any religious or spiritual beliefs to benefit from it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The core principles of mindfulness are:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong> Intention<\/strong> \u2013 choosing to cultivate your awareness of the present moment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong> Attention<\/strong> \u2013 paying attention to the present moment and the sensations and thoughts it brings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong> Attitude<\/strong> \u2013 being curious and non-judgmental about those sensations and thoughts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness has a wide range of applications that promote overall well-being. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>These include:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reducing stress, anxiety and depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">improving mood<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">supporting pain management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">enhancing the quality of sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lowering blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">providing mental clarity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness can be a powerful tool for reducing stress-related risk factors for CVDs, particularly high blood pressure. It can enable people to respond to stress in a considered manner rather than reacting to it impulsively.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Benefits of mindfulness practices on cardiovascular wellness<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Integrating mindfulness into daily life<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/reduce-your-stress-with-mindfulness\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making mindfulness a regular part of daily life<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows people to benefit from its positive impact on emotional and physical health. Here are some tips for integrating mindfulness into everyday activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At work \u2013 take a few moments at the beginning of your work day to set an intention such as staying focused on one task at a time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During meals \u2013 pay attention to the taste, texture and aroma of your food, and notice the colours and shapes on your plate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leisure activities such as reading, listening to music or going for a walk can be turned into mindfulness exercises.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness supports cardiovascular wellness most effectively if you are able to do it consistently. It can be helpful to start small, with just a few minutes per day and gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable with it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest way to practise mindfulness is to focus on your breathing. The idea is to place your attention on the inhalation and exhalation as a way of bringing your attention back to the present moment over and over.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by becoming aware of the sensation of your breathing \u2013 feel the rise and fall of your belly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t try to change how you\u2019re breathing \u2013 just notice it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel the breath moving in and out of your nostrils \u2013 notice how it\u2019s cool on the inhale and warm on the exhale.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At some point, you may notice that your mind has wandered or you\u2019ve been distracted by something \u2013 if that happens, gently guide your attention back to your breathing without judging your \u2018performance\u2019.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repeat this process over and over again.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Mindfulness and lifestyle factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mindfulness can help you manage stress and anxiety and feel more relaxed, it can improve the quality of your sleep. Being rested, relaxed and focused puts you in a better frame of mind to make healthy choices about exercise and nutrition, and whether or not to smoke or use alcohol.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can also support the management of unhealthy habits. Observing these habits can help you to become aware of your choices, leading to more control and flexibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mindfulness-based programs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The blueprint for most mindfulness-based programs is the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which was developed by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts in the 1970s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The core practices in that and most other MBSR programs include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body scan meditation \u2013 systematically focusing attention on different parts of the body, from the toes to the head, and observing any sensations that arise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sitting meditation \u2013 focusing on the breath, an image, or a word or phrase, and gently returning your attention to this focus whenever the mind wanders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindful yoga \u2013 doing gentle stretching exercises designed to strengthen the connection between the mind and the body.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Other programs include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which combines mindfulness techniques with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help manage stress, anxiety and depression.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heartfulness meditation, which focuses specifically on cardiovascular wellness. This practice involves placing attention on the heart and experiencing feelings of love and compassion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Most mindfulness-based interventions feature the following common key elements:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindfulness, including breath awareness or body scan meditations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An educational component where participants learn about stress, cardiovascular disease and the role of mindfulness in managing these conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Group support where participants can share their experiences and learn from others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home practice \u2013 practising mindfulness exercises at home to reinforce the skills learnt during the sessions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making lifestyle changes such as adopting a heart-healthy diet and doing regular exercise to support cardiovascular wellness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Scientific evidence and mindfulness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cardiovascular benefits of mindfulness have been known for some time. As far back as 2010, The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.publish.csiro.au\/PY\/PY09063\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australian Journal of Primary Health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> published a review of 15 studies of the effects of MBSR programs for people with chronic diseases, including CVD. All the studies had found that the programs had positive effects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How the <i><em>Life!<\/em><\/i> program can help you<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practising mindfulness can support cardiovascular health. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program can provide you with<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/heart-disease-programs\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a comprehensive range of tools that will also help you to reduce your risk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of cardiovascular disease<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a free healthy lifestyle program that helps you improve your eating habits, increase your physical activity and manage stress. You can choose from a group course or the telephone health coaching service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experienced health professionals will help you make small changes to your lifestyle so that you can achieve your health goals and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program is funded by the Victorian Government and managed by Diabetes Victoria. You can check your eligibility for the program <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/learn-about-life\/#am-i-eligible\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button teal\" href=\"#health-check\">Take the health check<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia has been falling for the past 10 years, it is still a significant health issue. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2022 one in twenty Australians (around 1.3 million people) had heart, stroke or cardiovascular disease. The decline in CVD-related deaths can be attributed to research&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3935,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3934"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4750,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3934\/revisions\/4750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}