T

he concept of mindfulness in-

volves focusing on your pres-

ent situation and state of

mind. This can mean aware-

ness of your surroundings,

emotions and breathing—or, more simply,

enjoying each bite of a really good sand-

wich. Research in recent decades has linked

mindfulness practices to a staggering col-

lection of possible health benefits.

Tuning into the world around you may

provide a sense of well-being, an array of

studies claim. Multiple reports link mind-

fulness with improved cognitive function-

ing. One study even suggests it may pre-

serve the tips of our chromosomes, which

whither away as we age.

Yet many psychologists, neuroscientists

and meditation experts are afraid that hype

is outpacing the science. In an article re-

leased in Perspectives on Psychological Sci-

ence, 15 prominent psychologists and cog-

nitive scientists caution that despite its

popularity and supposed benefits, scientif-

ic data on mindfulness are woefully lack-

ing. Many of the studies on mindfulness

and meditation, the authors wrote, are

poorly designed—compromised by incon-

sistent definitions of what mindfulness ac-

tually are, and often void of a control group

to rule out the placebo effect.

The new paper cites a 2015 review pub-

lished in American Psychologist reporting

that only around 9 percent of research into

mindfulness-based interventions has been

tested in clinical trials that included a con-

trol group. The authors also point to multi-

ple large placebo-controlled meta-analyses

Bret Stetka is a writer based in New York City and an editorial

director at Medscape (a subsidiary of WebMD). His work has

appeared in Wired, NPR and the Atlantic. He graduated from

the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2005.

Mindfulness involves focusing on your present situation, your surroundings, emotions and breathing

DAVID WOOLFALL

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