Maths, English and mindfulness: Children could be taught how to quieten their minds in school as it's revealed the practice has huge benefits for mental health problems

  • Mindfulness for adults has been extolled with many benefits in recent years
  • New Australian research suggests it is also very beneficial for children
  • There is a new campaign to get mindfulness on the curriculum by 2020
  • A recent study found mindfulness helps with kids' sleep, concentration and more
  • It even has a knock-on effect of lowering disruptive and bullying behaviour
  • Does your child practise mindfulness? Email FemailAU@mailonline.com 

By Sophie Haslett For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

In recent years, mindfulness has been extolled as the remedy for stress, exhaustion and poor concentration.

But while it has been predominantly practised by adults, new research has shown that quietening the mind also brings significant benefits for children.

Not only does it help with students' sleeping habits, but it also boosts concentration, lowers stress levels and can even have a knock-on effect of lowering disruptive and bullying behaviour in schools.

New research has revealed that mindfulness brings significant benefits for children - it helps sleeping habits, boosts concentration, lowers stress levels and reduces bullying (stock image)

New research has revealed that mindfulness brings significant benefits for children - it helps sleeping habits, boosts concentration, lowers stress levels and reduces bullying (stock image)

'The vision is to see Mindfulness Meditation on the national Australian school curriculum by 2020,' the new study - conducted by not-for-profit organisation, Smiling Mind - revealed.

'The mental health statistics in children and adolescents are alarming and in recent years attention has started to turn towards taking a preventative approach to enhancing mental health to reduce this burden of mental illness.'

Currently, one in seven children between 4 and 17 in Australia have a mental health disorder.

As well as this, some one in four aged 8-14 reported bullying every few weeks. 

Mindfulness as a school-taught activity is on the rise, but this new study could see more get on board with the idea (stock image)

Mindfulness as a school-taught activity is on the rise, but this new study could see more get on board with the idea (stock image)

In the study, students learned the importance of breath awareness, body scanning for tension and mindful eating - the vast majority reported an increase in quality of sleep (stock image)

In the study, students learned the importance of breath awareness, body scanning for tension and mindful eating - the vast majority reported an increase in quality of sleep (stock image)

Mindfulness as a school-taught activity is on the rise, but this new study could see more get on board with the idea.

In the Smiling Mind study, a total of 1,853 children from 12 Victorian schools were split into two groups.

One half of the participants, aged between 7 and 18, took an eight-week-long mindfulness programme, while the other control group took the course afterwards.

There has been much research on the benefits of mindfulness for adults in recent times - whether it's for stress levels, concentration or sleep (stock image)

There has been much research on the benefits of mindfulness for adults in recent times - whether it's for stress levels, concentration or sleep (stock image)

During the programme, students learned the importance of breath awareness, body scanning for tension and mindful eating.

The vast majority of the children that did the programme reported a boost in sleep quality. 

There were also significant improvements in student behaviour at school and mental well-being.

For more information on the mindfulness for children report, click here.

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