So, what is mindfulness? Headspace defines mindfulness as “the ability to be fully present in the moment.” One way to achieve mindfulness is through mindfulness meditation practice, which allows people to “truly experience the current moment and integrate that awareness into everyday life.” To study the influence of mindfulness on relationship dynamics, researchers administered a survey to 847 married and unmarried heterosexual couples. For the study, the researchers distilled mindfulness into three core components—non-reactivity, acting with awareness, and non-judgment. Non-reactivity is accepting your feelings rather than reacting to them. Acting with awareness is acting intentional rather than allowing your impulses to control your actions. And non-judgment is being able to think critically about a situation rather than passing a quick judgment and sticking to it. Alongside a survey with questions about the couple’s individual mindfulness levels, they also responded to questions about their stress levels, perceived relationship quality, and sexual satisfaction. Unsurprisingly, the study found that the couple’s individual stress levels were negatively correlated with relationship quality. When one person is stressed, they can easily find themselves unfairly taking it out on their partner, which can negatively impact the relationship. Mindfulness could help abate stress levels, which in turn could strengthen the relationship.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The mindfulness component of non-reactivity seemed to have the most significant impact on the health of a relationship. When couples don’t allow their feelings to affect their actions, they found that their relationship was stronger for it. The study also found that women who were in relationships where both people were acting with awareness reported more sexual satisfaction. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Overall, the study concluded that mindfulness had no negative impact on a couple’s relationships, but many positive effects. Practicing mindfulness will not only improve your relationship, but also your personal quality of life. And to find out what else can strengthen your relationship, learn The No. 1 Thing That Makes a Relationship Successful, New Study Shows.
