Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation

Experiencing the full spectrum of emotions means we’re a healthy human being, however we sometimes experience emotions (particularly negative ones) that seem to linger long past their time. Sometimes we get attached to an emotion and keep coming back to it over and over again. This can hinder us from moving forward with our lives, from focusing on other important things, or simply prevent us from feeling happy and peaceful. Thus, regulating our emotions can be useful. Research on emotion regulation has found that one of the most effective strategies for regulating our emotions is cognitive reappraisal, or reinterpreting our situation as being more positive when our habitual evaluation would be a negative one.

Mindfulness has long been associated with emotion regulation, however a recent study indicates mindfulness may facilitate emotion regulation by enhancing cognitive reappraisal. In their experiment, researchers had participants undergo one week of mindfulness training. When tested after the training, researchers found that the level of state mindfulness achieved during their mindfulness meditation was positively associated with greater cognitive reappraisal after the meditation, and over time. The greater the level of state mindfulness achieved, the greater their likelihood of utilizing cognitive reappraisal.

Keryn Breiterman-Loader