Mindfulness and humor can facilitate Psychological well-being and reduce stress

After COVID, mental health and well-being are coming up as a focus of interest in many research studies. People are talking openly about problems they are facing and are ready to seek external help. Interestingly, a recent study was conducted on mindfulness and humor, as they are essential contributors to well-being. Let’s first understand what mindfulness is.

Mindfulness:

It is a cognitive skill that is used for sustaining awareness of one’s mind in the present moment through the meditation process. Mindfulness uses guided imagery, the breathing process, and other relaxation techniques to relax the body and reduce stress. In simple words, mindfulness is about being in the moment without interpreting or judging the moment. Intention, attention, and attitude are the three main qualities of mindfulness.

Also Read: Mindfulness: A Key to Unlocking Life Amidst Tough Times

The focus of Study:

This study indicates that humor that shares an intentional and attitudinal foundation with mindfulness leads to mindful humor or mindful humor perceptive. The mindful humor filter model proposes that aligning intention and attitude may lead to a synergy effect through shared mechanisms underlying a mindful humor perspective. Using a theoretical framework, researchers developed the human-enriched mindfulness program (HEMBP) and, as an initial step, evaluated its efficacy and validity in a randomized controlled trial.

Study method:

The researchers randomly allocated 60 participants to either the wait list control trial or HEMBP. The researchers used the pre-test and post-test methods to assess participants’ stress, gelotophobia, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, comic style, and mindfulness, followed by a one-month follow-up session. The results of this study indicated that HEMBP was effective in increasing psychological well-being, mindfulness, humor, and benevolence, and reducing stress, gelotophobia, sarcasm, and cynicism compared to the control group.

Also Read: How Is AI Helping In Mindfulness?

Impact of the HEMBP Model:

The results were suggestive of the Mindful humor filter model. It also supports the validity and efficacy of the HEMBP in facilitating psychological well-being and reducing stress. It helps in fostering positive emotions and relationships and facilitating mindfulness practices and insight by cultivating a mindful-humorous outlook on life. HEMBP broadens the scope of existing mindfulness-based programs by cultivating a mindful-humorous outlook on life, facilitating mindfulness practice and insights, and fostering positive emotions and relationships with others through mindful humor.