World Mental Health Day: What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is one of those words which you hear more and more of, with dozens of apps promising to help you harness the power of your mind.

But what is it, who does it help and how can you practise it?

The most simple way to explain it is to stop that feeling of your mind being “full”.

Oxford University’s Professor Willem Kuyken is the director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. He describes mindfulness as “a natural capacity we all have and can all develop”.

“It’s about greater awareness and having the greater ability to be in the present moment, without judgement, but with curiosity, kindness and care,” he tells the BBC.

A lot is known about how best to keep our bodies fit, but Prof Kuyken says it’s just as important to keep the mind healthy, adding: “We’ve made enormous progress in the past 50 years in terms of physical health, and people now live well for longer. But the next question is how people can live longer and be mentally well.”

It can be used therapeutically – for example for those with chronic health problems or mental health issues – but anyone can benefit from it, says Prof Kuyken.

“Mindfulness is done through a whole range of meditative practices, all helping us become more aware and pay more attention,” he explains. “It’s about being responsive rather than just being on auto-pilot.”

So how do we do that?