Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Strategies to Ease the Angst

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an unavoidable part of daily life, impacting both our mental and physical well-being. Whether it stems from work pressures, personal responsibilities or the constant flood of digital distractions, chronic stress can take a toll if left unmanaged. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) offers a science-backed approach to cultivating awareness, presence and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

Rooted in mindfulness meditation and gentle movement practices, MBSR equips individuals with practical techniques to reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation and improve overall quality of life. In this article, Dr. Rammy Korkor, internal medicine physician with Southwest General Medical Group, discusses key mindfulness-based strategies that can help you navigate stress with greater ease and clarity.

Understanding the Differences Between the “Mindfulness” Approaches

It’s important to define the differences between mindfulness, mindfulness meditation and MBSR, which are often confused buzzwords. Mindfulness simply refers to purposeful awareness of the present moment, which has been shown to reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels.

Mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, is a structured practice that strengthens the brain’s ability to manage stress by redirecting blood flow to the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain located just behind the forehead), enhancing emotional regulation and resilience. This daily exercise leads to lasting neurological changes that improve concentration, pain tolerance and overall well-being.

Lastly, MBSR is a formal, structured eight-week program designed to guide participants in effectively incorporating mindfulness meditation into their lives.

The Research Behind the Technique

Research, including a 2023 study published in JAMA Psychiatry, has shown that MBSR is as effective as medication in treating anxiety disorders, particularly generalized anxiety disorder. This finding aligns with decades of studies since the 1990s, when advancements in MRI technology enabled researchers to better understand the neurological benefits of mindfulness practices.

“We've known that mindfulness meditation has been working for about twenty-six thousand years for many people in the Eastern part of the world. So, it's become a bit more easy to digest and more tangible and has been presented to the Western world more recently, especially in the nineties when we thought this thing was a placebo,” notes Dr. Korkor. “Turns out, it's actually just a skill the body has. When it's activated, you get these incredible results of quality and quantity of life.”

Just 10 Minutes Can Make a Significant Difference

Mindfulness meditation can be integrated into even the busiest lives, including those of parents and children facing nonstop stress. Just 10 minutes of quiet, focused breathing or sensory awareness—such as listening to ambient sounds or feeling the warmth of water—can help anchor the mind and build resilience against stress.

Over time, this practice enhances self-awareness, allowing individuals to recognize and regulate stress in real-time. Everyday activities, like washing dishes, can become mindfulness exercises by tuning into sensations rather than distractions. This simple shift lowers cortisol levels, promotes clear thinking and fosters better emotional regulation amid life’s constant demands.

“The way I like to explain it is, you're riding on this raft through a really tortuous river, a river of life. Some parts are tortuous, some parts are calm. Whenever stress gets extraordinarily high, well, bringing your attention to your senses is like an anchor that you would drop to pause the boat, take a breather, and calm yourself, bring your cortisol down,” explains Dr. Korkor. “The moment you do that, it's like a cup of muddy water. If you let it settle and sit there for a moment, the sediment falls to the bottom and the water comes to the top. You get that clarity of how to solve the problem you're trying to figure out or how to handle that situation.”

A Life-Changing, Four-Step Exercise

Mindfulness meditation has as much scientific backing as daily toothbrushing, yet it often gets overlooked in medical education. Research, including data from the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights its ability to improve decision-making, reduce chronic pain and alleviate anxiety and depression—sometimes as effectively as medication but with longer-lasting benefits.

Additionally, mindfulness practice has a ripple effect, reducing stress not just for individuals but also for those around them. Per Dr. Korkor, a simple four-step mindfulness exercise can help anyone incorporate this practice into daily life:

• Set a Timer – Dedicate 10 minutes in a quiet space to focus on being present.
• Choose a Sense – Focus on breathing, sounds or physical sensations as an anchor.
• Acknowledge Mind Wandering – Accept that the mind will drift to thoughts of the past or future without judgment.
• Gently Refocus – Recognize the distraction, label it briefly (e.g., "worry," "excitement"), and return attention to the chosen sense.

This repetition strengthens the brain’s ability to manage stress, allowing individuals to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively in high-pressure situations. Over time, mindfulness becomes a powerful tool for emotional regulation, resilience and overall well-being.

To learn more about Dr. Rammy Korkor, visit https://www.swgeneral.com/physicians/rammy-korkor-md/.