Good Advice

by Well+Good Editors, April 23, 2017

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Life can be stressful (understatement of the century?). Between wrangling your morning commute, chipping away at your never-ending to-do list, and somehow maintaining a semblance of work-life balance,it can be hard to take a moment to just breathe.

But when you try to clear your mind for a meditation sesh, somehow youre flooded with thoughtsranging from your weekend brunch plansto thatembarrassing moment in yesterdays Pilates classall at the same time.

Relax, youre not a meditation failure. Mindfulness proRosie Acosta, a contributing expert towomens wellness siteNourish + Bloom, says its never too late to start.

Utilizing tools like yoga, mindfulness, and meditation, were essentially just creating more positive emotions, more energy, more focus, more presence, less distraction, Acosta says. For people who are beginning, once they do these things theyll notice a difference right away. Not only physiologically, but also mentally and emotionally.

You can find five minutes out of that 1,440-minute day to just do something for you and for your mental health.

Andthat doesnt mean you need to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to get in your dose of mindfulness (like Acosta does). The key, she says, is not making the practice a stressor for yourselfespecially if being super busy iswhy youre seeking it out in the first place.

If you have one minute or five minutes it makes such a huge difference, Acosta adds. I always say, there are 1,440 minutes in a day. You can find five minutes out of that 1,440-minute day to just do something for you and for your mental health.

To start, Acosta recommendsthree methods basedon your current emotional state, where you are physically, and how much time you have. Overall, the important part is to tune into the present, a skill Acosta says is the key to creating a healthy relationship with yourself.

I think its important to become attuned to who and what we are because were in a modern culture that is troubled, Acosta says. To be able to create mindfulness, relaxation, and present awareness is really key for us to be able to accomplish anything in life.

Below, Acosta shares three simple techniques to get more meditation in your lifeand you can also score her in-the-moment wisdom on the N+B Life app.

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Acosta recommends true beginners start with a breathing exerciseto help quiet your brains constant chatter. The mind typically wanders because it wants something to do, Acosta says. So when you tell the mind to pay attention to the breath, then youve given it an assignment.

Also? Its a great way to chill out when your stress levels spike. Youre disengaging from the actual thing that happenedwork pressure, getting into it with your husband, whateverthat caused that stress in the first place, she explains. You can then come back into the present with wisdom as opposed to reactivity.

How to do it:

1. Start off sitting, standing, or lying down, and set a timer for three to five minutes to give yourself one less excuse for distraction. Close your eyes (or leave them open, focusing on a single point) and pay attention to the inhale and exhale of your breath.

2.Begin creating a pattern with your breathing by inhaling through your nose for four seconds, pausing, then exhaling for five seconds (the longer exhale encourages your parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates stress, to calm you down).

3. If your mind strays, acknowledge that gently and bring it back to your breathing pattern.

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The body scan is really helpful for beginners who are wanting to get more into the benefits of what meditation does, Acosta says. Because you do it for longer than you would mindful breathing, so you can really feel into your body and can really feel the effects. The minute you start to bring awareness to different parts of your body, all of a sudden your breath changes.

How to do it:

1. Settle in for 10 to 20 minutes. Ideally, body scans should be performedlying down, but the method can also work seated (even in your office desk chair). If youre able to lie down, relax on your back in a position similar to yogas savasana pose.

2. Close your eyes, and begin to bring awareness to your body by methodically breathing in and out. Then, take inventory of each area on your body startingfrom your toes up, noticing any tingling, tightness, and differences in temperature.

3. Focus on the backs of your heels, legs, seat, the part of your upper back thats touching the ground, your upper shoulders, the backs of your arms, hands, and the back of your head.

4. Reverse the scan back down, and then repeat the process focusing on the front side of your body. Dont rush it, or force yourself to feel anything. Just be there with your body.

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Acosta recommends this targeted meditation for moments who your mind is flat out too busy for a simple breathing break. I think that for people who want to have meditation with a purpose, its a really loving, self-affirming way to enter meditation, she explains.

How to do it:

1. Assume any comfortable position in a quiet place for 10 to 15 minutes.Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, and imagine you are softening the areas around your heart.

2. There are four traditional phrases you can begin saying to yourself: May I be filled with love, may I be safe from harm, may I be well, and may I be happy and free. Breathe in and out as you repeat these phrases and hold an image of yourself in your mind, as if you are saying these words directly to yourself.

3. You will begin to feel a sense of ease as your body lets go. Its also totally normal for this practice to feel awkward or to stir up irritating or upsetting feelingsbut thats okay. The important thing is to be patient and kind to yourself, byacknowledgingyour feelings and moving on.

4. Once youre comfortable with the self-love affirmation (which can take several sessionsdont push it!),you can extend the meditation to others, filling intheir name in eachmantra.

In partnership with Nourish + Bloom

Top photo: Nourish + Bloom

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Here's how to finally start meditating (even if you've tried a million times) - Well+Good

New clinical guidelines on integrative, mind-body therapies for patients with breast cancer finds that meditation has the best evidence supporting its use and is recommended for reducing anxiety, treating symptoms of depression, and improving quality of life.

The investigators evaluated more than 80 different therapies and developed grades of evidence to determine which integrative treatments are most effective and safe for such patients.

Interdisciplinary experts from Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center; the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; University of Michigan; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and other institutions in the U.S. and Canada collaborated to update the guidelines from the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO).

This systematic review adds to the growing literature on integrative therapies for patients with breast cancer and other cancer populations. The latest results are published online and in print inCA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a publication of the American Cancer Society.

The new guidelines include the following recommendations:

Studies show that up to 80 percent of people with a history of cancer use one or more complementary and integrative therapies, but until recently, evidence supporting the use of many of these therapies had been limited, said Heather Greenlee, N.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman school and past president of SIO.

Our goal is to provide clinicians and patients with practical information and tools to make informed decisions on whether and how to use a specific integrative therapy for a specific clinical application during and after breast cancer treatment, Greenlee said.

In their systematic evaluation of peer-reviewed randomized clinical trials, the researchers assigned letter grades to therapies based on the strength of evidence. A letter grade of A indicates that a specific therapy is recommended for a particular clinical indication, and there is high certainty of substantial benefit for the patient.

Meditation had the strongest evidence supporting its use.Music therapy, yoga, and massage received a B grade for symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as for providing benefits to breast cancer patients.

Yoga received a B grade for improving quality of life based on two recent trials. Yoga and hypnosis received a C for fatigue.

The routine use of yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques, and passive music therapy to address common mental health concerns among patients with breast cancer is supported by high levels of evidence, said Debu Tripathy, M.D., chair of breast oncology at MD Anderson and also a past president of SIO.

Given the indication of benefit coupled with the relatively low level of risk, these therapies can be offered as a routine part of patient care, especially when symptoms are not well controlled.

Acupressure and acupuncture received a B grade as an addition to drugs used for reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In general, there was a lack of strong evidence supporting the use of ingested dietary supplements and botanical natural products as part of supportive cancer care and to manage treatment-related side effects.

Clinicians and patients need to be cautious about using therapies that received a grade of C or D and fully understand the potential risks of not using a conventional therapy that may effectively treat cancer or help manage side effects associated with cancer treatment, warned Lynda Balneaves, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor at theRady Faculty of Health Sciences in Winnipeg, Canada, and president-elect of SIO.

Patients are using many forms of integrative therapies with little or no supporting evidence and that remain understudied, noted Greenlee.This paper serves as a call for further research to support patients and health care providers in making more informed decisions that achieve meaningful clinical results and avoid harm.

Source: Columbia Mailman School of Public Health/EurekAlert

APA Reference Nauert PhD, R. (2017). New Guidelines Find Meditation Best Adjunct to Breast Cancer Treatment. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 25, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/04/25/new-guidelines-find-meditation-best-adjunct-to-breast-cancer-treatment/119616.html

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New Guidelines Find Meditation Best Adjunct to Breast Cancer Treatment - PsychCentral.com

Spurred by investor interest, 39 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have raised Rs 514 crore through initial public offers so far this year, already close to the total garnered in the entire 2016.

Last year, 66 SMEs had raised Rs 540 crore through initial public offers (IPOs).

Experts said the huge capital-raising excercise, mainly to fund business expansion and meet working capital requirements, can be attributed to reforms and initiatives taken by the government to encourage the SME sector.

Of the 39 companies that hit the capital markets this year, 22 have made debut on the SME platform of NSE and raised Rs 365 crore, while 17 companies got listed with IPOs worth Rs 149 crore on BSE's SME platform.

The companies which got listed this year are from sectors such as finance; media; infrastructure; manufacturing; agriculture and IT and IT-enabled service.

"SME capital market is catching up with main board market in several ways such as overwhelming investor response, larger size of IPOs, increasing number of companies tapping market," Pantomath Capital Managing Director Mahavir Lunawat said.

"We are confident that this is only a foundation of alternate capital market and emerging companies would fuel next level growth of economy and actualise make in India campaign." he added.

Funds raised through the issue were used for business expansion plans, working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes.

Gujarat dominated the space with 15 firms garnering Rs 184 crore. It was followed by Maharashtra with 13 SME IPOs raising Rs 171 crore.

Listing will help these companies to enter capital markets and finally migrate to the main board platform.

SMEs list on bourses for easy access to capital, enhanced visibility, growth opportunities, exit route for old shareholders and similar reasons.

BSE and NSE had launched SME platforms in March 2012. Since then, several companies have got listed on them and some have even shifted to the main-board.

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SME IPOs catch investors' attention; raise Rs 514 cr this year ... - Moneycontrol.com

A combination of both aerobics and resistance exercise can significantly boost brain power in people aged over 50, claims a new review.

Carried out by researchers from the University of Canberra, Australia, the new research is the most comprehensive review of the available evidence to date, with the team looking at 39 studies published up to the end of 2016.

The team analysed the effect of various types, intensities, and durations of exercise on the brain health of the over 50s, including aerobic exercise, resistance training such as weights, multi-component exercise that combines both aerobic and resistance training, tai chi, and yoga.

Cognitive abilities assessed in the review included overall brain capacity, attention, executive function (mental process which help achieve goals), memory, and working memory (processing information in the short-term).

The results showed that aerobic exercise significantly improved cognitive abilities, with resistance training having a significant effect on executive function, memory, and working memory.

For those wondering how much they need to do, the team found that a session lasting between 45 and 60 minutes, of moderate to vigorous intensity, and of any frequency, had a positive effect on cognitive function.

In addition, these positive effects were seen no matter what the current state of the participants brain health.

The team also found that tai chi helped improved cognitive abilities, supporting previous findings. The team did point out however that the analysis was based on just a few studies and the findings would need to be confirmed in a larger study, although the results do suggest that exercises such as tai chi could provide benefits for those who are unable to do more intense forms of physical activity.

The team now believe that the evidence from their review is strong enough to recommend prescribing both aerobic and resistance exercises to improve brain health in the over 50s.

The findings can be found published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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Aerobics, resistance training and tai chi can boost brain health in the elderly - Hindustan Times

A raunchy new holiday destination has opened up for adventurous couples and curious singles in the south of France

ADVENTUROUS swingers with Continental tastes have a new hot spot in the South of France.

Nestled in the Dordogne countryside,Le Diamant Noir campsite has opened its doors to swinging couples and curious singles in a bid to make raunchy holidays more affordable.

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Established byBruno Mazaferroand his wife Sandra, the site is jam-packed full of erotic activities, with overnight stays starting from just25 (21).

Some of the main attractions of the new campsite include muscle awareness water aerobics, underwear-optional parties and a host of naughty games.

Le Diamant Noir

The bar hosts themed soires including Eyes Wide Shut and Leather and Latex.

Not only limited to couples, curious singles are permitted to enter for a price,with single women charged12 and men asked to fork out 45.

As far as rules go, visitors must respect each other, be at least 21 years old to enter, and all campers must wear a coloured wristband to identify their relationship status.

Le Diamant Noir

Visitors can bring their own tents or rent one of the many mobile homes available on the site.

Facilities include swimming pools, sauna, hot tubs and even designated cuddle corners so that campers can get up-close and personal.

For those wishing to take a break from the debauchery, the site also has basketball and volleyball courts, and offers mountain bike rentals to keep you entertained.

According toMazaferro, business is pumping, having been fully booked over the Easter weekend.

The majority of clients so far have been French nationals mixed with several groups from neighbouring European countries. However, a Brit is yet to explore the depths ofLe Diamant Noir.

Le Diamant Noir

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Swinger campsite unzips its doors in France complete with sexy ... - The Sun

Despite a brutal heat wave that drove many into air-conditioned dance tents and a few others to medical tents with heat exhaustion, the second weekend of the annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival concluded with hundreds of thousands of revelers none the worse for wear. Give or take.

Coachella marks the unofficial beginning of the American concert season, and promoter Goldenvoice further solidified its status this year by expanding its footprint and capacity by nearly 25,000 passes per day. As with the first weekend, an estimated 125,000 attendees wandered the grounds, absorbing the music of hundreds of acts including headliners Radiohead, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar.

The radiant sun didn't stop music fans any more than hot asphalt would ants at an overturned sugar truck. Temperatures rose to more than 100 degrees on each of the three days, but determined music fans gathered on the shade-free pitch in front of the main Coachella stage.

Haroun Ray and his girlfriend, Jhezmin Rasberry, traveled to the festival from Las Vegas. As first-timers, they had a notion of what to expect, said Ray, 22, but the heat had him focused on "things more elemental than the performances. Basically, I was expecting the biggest music festival in the country, because I put it in that category, Ray said. "And so far, it's been that."

Among Rasberry and Ray's highlights? British singer-producer Sampha and Pittsburgh indie rapper Mac Miller.

"It's definitely lived up to my expectations," added Rasberry, also 22. "It's beautiful."

Food vendors from across the region fed the masses and dozens of area craft brewers along with Heineken and a massive supply of 16-ounce plastic water bottles hydrated them. But the weather did take its toll on some. At various times, overheated revelers were spotted being shuttled on golf carts to medical tents for cool-down and rehydration. In the media area Saturday, a woman was sprawled on a chair, her face colorless, wet paper towels on her forehead, legs and arms. Friends later carried her into an air-conditioned shack to recover.

Standing in a cluster in one of the new VIP areas Saturday, a group of 20-somethings from Tempe, Ariz., took refuge in the shaded spot to make a plan for the night. The crew had road-tripped to the festival, some to help work a kettle corn stand and others to join the fun.

Thierno Johnson, 25, said he was equally drawn to the musical and visual feasts. "I came out to experience a lot of the art that was out here so I've got a little bit of a different view. There are a lot of major art pieces out here this year."

Among them were works by Nigerian-born artist Olalekan Jeyifous, sculptors Joanne Tatham and Tom O'Sullivan of the United Kingdom, and Brazilian artist Gustavo Prado.

One of the most prominent artworks, Lady Gaga, put on a performance worthy of LACMA. Donning wildly inventive outfits while moving through hits from across her career, the musician seemed to work overtime to prove herself capable of taking a headlining slot originally occupied by Beyonc.

Full coverage: Weekend 1 of the 2017's Coachella Music and Arts Festival

Judging by concertgoers Vanessa Cano and Danielle Amato, the artist needn't have worried. Both wore Lady Gaga-emblazoned T-shirts as proof.

"We were already going to come for Beyonc, but once they announced Gaga she is my all-time favorite," said Cano.

Both come to the festival almost every year, but this time they were caught off guard by its expanded footprint, which resulted in a few relocated stages.

"It's huge," Amato said.

"Once I heard they were going to sell 25,000 tickets more, I thought, 'I don't know where they're going to put all these people,'" Cano added.

Neither was too bothered by the heat. Both live nearby, so they knew what to expect. Plus, said Amato, they weren't interested in trudging from stage to stage all day and night. They were fine with seeing three or four acts per day and relaxing during downtime.

"You feel so rushed, and everything takes forever too," Cano said. "If you want to see two people back to back, you're out of luck."

Still, neither regulars nor newbies seemed to mind. Said Ray from Las Vegas, "We were already talking about next year on the way here on the shuttle."

For tips, records, snapshots and stories on Los Angeles music culture, follow Randall Roberts on Twitter and Instagram: @liledit. Email: randall.roberts@latimes.com.

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Fun outshines a scorching sun at Coachella music fest's second weekend - Los Angeles Times

Chick Jacobs Staff writer @fo_weather

The outdoor dance floor at Cape Fear Botanical Garden hadn't yet seen its first pair of cowboy boots, but Taryn Hughes wasn't worried.

After all, the sun hadn't quite slipped behind a stand of pines that bordered the garden.

"Nobody dances until the sun goes down," Hughes said. "Until then, everyone is just taking it easy."

Besides, the early crowd at the first outdoor Third Thursday event was happy just to relax, taking in the music and unseasonably warm weather.

Which was fine with Hughes, the marketing director for the garden. Thursday's event, called Beer BBQ and Boots, was the first outdoor concert of the summer schedule.

"We had one in March," she said. "It was OK, but it had to be held indoors. That's not really what we were getting at.

"We want to bring music outside into the garden. People enjoy coming here, they like to bring their family, but we kept hearing that people wanted to have a time during the week when we'd be open.

"This is a great way to give people that opportunity."

Some people brought chairs or blankets to spread out and take in the evening. Nearly everyone was definitely dressed down.

"The reality is that I bet everyone here would be doing the exact same thing, just in their backyard," said Sarah Miller. She had arrived with friends and was relaxing over a cold beer and food from My Daddy's Barbeque. Whiskey Pines, a country-blues duet from Southern Pines was wrapping an acoustic version of Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City." A light southerly breeze stirred the evening as shadows covered the still unoccupied dance floor.

A few folks toured the garden, but with things past azaleas and not quite to honeysuckle season, blossoms were sparse.

Besides, this was an evening for relaxing and occasionally singing along with the band.

Even if, like 13-month-old Avery Wonnenberg, you didn't quite know how to sing yet. She took in each song, bouncing to the rhythm and clapping. Her parents, Keith and Jannell, brought her to the garden "to enjoy the evening," her mom said.

"We came from Colorado," Keith Wonnenberg said. "They have lots of events like this out there. I'm glad to see this."

That was the general reaction from garden guests, an eclectic blend of retirees, military families and young professionals.

"Cold beer and good food help," joked Dan Oakes, who was sitting with friends as Whiskey Pines rolled into The Band's "Up On Cripple Creek."

"I'm just super happy to have a nice, lively but not-too busy place to relax with friends and enjoy ourselves," added Peace Lites. "Usually you have to drive to Raleigh or the Triangle for this."

Next month, Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Third Thursday will feature an evening of beach music and, likely, a lot more dancing.

"We'll definitely come back next time," Lites said.

Staff writer Chick Jacobs can be reached at 486-3515 or cjacobs@fayobserver.com.

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Harmony, horticulture blend at Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Third Thursday - Fayetteville Observer

Famous Buddhist monk Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, the propagator of Tergar meditation, says scientists have discovered the power of meditation to alter mental states and increase happiness levels. In an interview, he said the reason why everyone is not equally happy is because each person has a different baseline happiness. This baseline was thought to be unchangeable for a very long time. However, he says science has proved the ability of meditation to change this baseline so people can experience happiness more easily and overcome negative emotions.

He gave the example of winning the lottery. According to the meditation master, a person who wins the lottery may be happy for some time, but there is a limit for this happiness. The same is true, he says, for every other matter as well. He insists meditation can change these aspects for the better, helping people experience happiness at a deeper level and for longer periods of time.

The monk drew more parallels between Buddhism and science, saying the two are not very mutually exclusive. He said both are on a quest to discover things. The only difference is while science does not know how to use its discovered knowledge effectively, Buddhism does. He also added Buddhists have always been saying the same things science says today, like the impermanence of everything.

Mingyur Rinpoche is one of Buddhisms most popular and beloved teachers of meditation. He says that he was always drawn to a life of meditation and contemplation, which eventually led him to lead a life of retreat and silent seclusion. He suffered from a severe anxiety disorder at a tender age of 8 and was cured of it by Tergar meditation. Born in 1975 in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet, Rinpoche was only 17 years old when he was invited to be a teacher of meditation at the monastery where he was residing. It is very rare for someone so young to be offered such a prestigious position.

Today, Rinpoche has meditation centers all over the world across five continents. Rinpoche has always had an interest in Western Science and Psychology, in which he even holds a degree.

Learn about the life-changing benefits of #meditation as proven by #science! https://t.co/tX9MP6Puy4

andra picincu (@ShapeYourEnergy) March 28, 2017

Rinpoche believes that with time, more and more people will be attracted to meditation, thanks to the scientific evidence backing the effectiveness of meditation in promoting mental well-being.

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The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and are not necessarily those of World Religion News.

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Buddhist Says Meditation is Scientifically Proven to Make Your Life Better - World Religion News

Town hall to focus on new health care bill

The Lompoc Valley Democratic Club will sponsor a town hall meeting on health care at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, in the Lompoc Public Librarys Grossman Gallery, 501 E. North Ave.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be a public information and discussion session about new California Senate Bill 562, the Healthy California Act. If passed, California would have a single-payer health care system.

Guest speakers will include Dr. Bill Skeen, the executive director of California Physicians Alliance, and Peter Conn, a retired social worker who has worked with Health Care for All California since 2000.

The Mahakankala Buddhist Center will offer a series of meditation classes at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays from April 27 through May 25 at the Yoga Center in Plaza de Oro, 701 E. North Ave., Suite F (upstairs, far right).

These drop-in classes, which are open to everyone, are intended to help students understand how the state of our mind affects health and well-being and how to use meditation to improve ones experience of contentment and peace. The classes are for beginners and those with meditation experience. There is a suggested donation of $10.

Flower Festival Queen Candidate Gabrielle Casarez is putting on a Tamale Fundraiser that will go toward her queen campaign.

Casarez, whose candidacy is being sponsored by the Lompoc Employee Development Association, is taking orders through Thursday, April 27. The orders will be available for pick up between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at 832 North D St. The cost is $18 per dozen.

To place an order and/or to arrange for special deliveries, contact Gabriella Casarez at 757-0231.

The ladies of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 211 will host a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at 5 p.m. Friday, April 28, at 636 North H St.

The dinner, which is open to everyone, will include spaghetti, green salad, garlic bread and dessert. Meals will be $8.

The Lompoc Valley Iris Society will host its annual show of tall-bearded iris from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 29, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 30, in the Grossman Gallery at the Lompoc Public Library, 501 East North Ave.

There is no admission charge for the show, which will include hundreds of blossoms of at least 100 officially named varieties on display. There will also be free door-prizes of growing iris plants given away every half-hour, and potted, growing irises for sale. Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras for photographs.

For more information, contact Lompoc Valley Iris Society President Ben Schleuning at 733-4081.

The church of Iglesia De Jesucristo Palabra Miel will hold a car wash fundraiser from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at 806 E. Ocean Ave.

The church is asking for a $10 donation for every car. Members of the church will also be offering homemade Salvadoran pupusas mixed, pork rind, and cheese for a donation of $2 each or $24 per dozen.

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About Town: Health care town hall, Meditation classes, more | About ... - Lompoc Record

New Delhi: Previous studies have effectively shown meditation to be healing and relaxing for the body as well as the mind.

A new study has now suggested that, for women, mindfulness meditation can help overcome emotional distress and negativity and uplift their mood.

Mindfulness meditation can be defined in many ways and can be used for a variety of different therapies.

The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Brown University in the US, by measuring changes in affect, mindfulness and self-compassion among 41 male and 36 female students.

They observed the students over the course of a full, 12- week academic class on mindfulness traditions.

Students filled out questionnaires at the beginning and the end of the class. Over that time the average student had engaged in more than 41 hours of meditation in class and outside.

As a group, the 77 students did not leave the class showing a significant difference in negative affect.

Researchers found that women showed a significant 11.6 percent decline on the survey's standardised score (which is a positive psychological outcome), men showed a non- significant 3.7 percent increase in their scores.

They found that alongside those changes in affect, each gender showed progress in skills taught as part of meditation, researchers said.

The findings show that the classes were effective in teaching the techniques, though women made greater gains than men on four of five areas of mindfulness.

Researchers also found that in women several of the gains they made in specific skills correlated with improvements in negative affect.

"Improved affect in women was related to improved mindfulness and self-compassion skills, which involved specific subscales for approaching experience and emotions with non-reactivity, being less self-critical and more kind with themselves, and over-identifying less with emotions," researchers said.

Among men, only one of the specific skills was associated with better affect.

"To the extent that affect improved, changes were correlated with an improved dimension of mindfulness involving the ability to identify, describe and differentiate one's emotions," researchers said.

"The gender gap in mental health has been inadequately targeted and often only within the standard medical arsenal of pharmacological treatment," said Rahil Rojiani of Brown University.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

(With PTI inputs)

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Mindfulness meditation good for women, may help uplift mood - Zee News