Mindfulness has gained so much popularity over many years because of the many known benefits of the practice. However, a new study suggests that because this is not very easy to do, men, at some point, should just stop trying.
People have always been saying how much you need to be mindful if you want to achieve true peace and happiness, but a new research conducted by Brown University suggests that it does not apply to all because women get much more from mindfulness compared to men, Independent reported.
The team of researchers conducted a study among 41 male and 36 female students for over 12 weeks, and during this time, they all went through a course in mindfulness. What they have found out was that the changes that men experienced when it comes to their mental state were very minimal compared to that of the women.
The researchers could not explain what causes the difference but they suggested that it could be because women tend to spend more time in reflection compared to men. Most men, on the other hand, have the tendency not to overthink, because they are used to setting aside their concerns and worries. And because of this tendency, they are already used to focusing on the present moment or situation at hand. This could be why they have less to gain from mindfulness according to the researchers.
Dr Willoughby Britton, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior and of behavioral and social sciences at Brown University said that this is the surprising part. And even if they have tried to explore the effects of mindfulness across gender, it does not change the fact that this practice still improves overall wellbeing, according to Help Guide.
What the researchers aim to do is to even out the disparities in gender when it comes to mental health care.
