Benefits of Mindfulness for Cancer Patients

Help for cancer patients shouldn’t just be available for the physical components of the body.

At Life Credit, we are dedicated to offering resources that also help to nurture patients mentally and emotionally. Along with offering financial support, we devote much of our “research time” to learning about unique programs such as meditation and mindfulness for cancer patients. The SPARK Cancer Support Center recently published a post on their website highlighting the benefits meditation and mindfulness can have in cancer patients’ lives.

Imagine a world in which you are able to enjoy a deep sleep, drastically lower stress, and manage pain utilizing meditation. Mindfulness is the intentional focus of one’s attention on emotions, sensations, and thoughts that are happening in the present moment. The ancient system helps to improve memory and boost the immune system while cultivating peacefulness and reducing stress.

Benefits of Mindfulness for Cancer Patients

There have been numerous studies conducted that scrutinize the benefits of mindfulness for cancer patients. In 2014, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states, “Meditation programs, in particular mindfulness programs, reduce multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress.” Another study published in 2000 looked at 90 cancer patients who practiced mindfulness meditation during a seven-week period. An overwhelming 31% reported lowered symptoms of stress and 67% experienced less mood disturbance than those who did not meditate. A 2010 Canadian study reported that mindfulness helped to reduce stress in cancer patients and their partners. Additionally, a 2005 review by the Research Council for Complementary Medicine found that meditation, when practiced alongside chemo and radiotherapy, helped cancer patients to feel more positive and optimistic.

Meditation for Beginners

Mindfulness is easy to incorporate into your everyday life. A simple 10-minute session per day can do wonders. Here’s an easy way to start practicing mindfulness:

• Sit cross-legged, with eyes closed, on a comfy cushion or chair, with a straight back
• Focus your attention on the breath and the movement of your abdomen while exhaling or on the nostrils when inhaling
• As thoughts bubble up, accept them, but bring your attention back to the breath

Life Credit understands that the word “cancer” alone can trigger a stress response. And for those undergoing cancer treatments, the bills can pile up fast. That’s why it’s good to know that help for cancer patients is available. We take painstaking care to provide the best financial assistance resources available and have provided over $10 million in funding and improved the lives of countless individuals. For more information, contact one of our professional and friendly staff members today.