Living with pain can be exhausting.
Whether it’s back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches or another long-term condition, persistent pain affects far more than the body. It can impact sleep, mood, relationships, confidence and the ability to enjoy everyday life.
When we’re in pain, it’s natural to want it to stop. We tense against it, worry about it and wonder if it will ever get better. Over time, this understandable reaction can sometimes add another layer of suffering on top of the physical pain itself.
This is where mindfulness can help.
What mindfulness is – and isn’t
Mindfulness isn’t about pretending the pain isn’t there or simply “thinking positively.”
Instead, it’s about learning to pay attention to our experience with greater awareness, curiosity and kindness, rather than becoming caught in a cycle of fear, frustration or resistance.
This doesn’t mean giving up. It means responding differently to what is already happening.
What does the research say?
Mindfulness has been widely studied for people living with persistent pain.
Research suggests that while mindfulness may not always reduce the intensity of pain, it can help reduce the distress that pain causes. Many people report feeling calmer, sleeping better, worrying less and feeling more able to engage in everyday life despite ongoing symptoms.
Mindfulness-based programmes are now recommended in many healthcare settings as part of a broader approach to managing long-term conditions.
Changing our relationship with pain
Imagine carrying a heavy backpack.
The weight represents the physical pain.
Now imagine filling that backpack with worry, frustration, fear and self-criticism. It becomes much heavier.
Mindfulness doesn’t magically remove the backpack, but it can help us put down some of the extra weight we’ve been carrying.
By learning to notice our thoughts, emotions and physical sensations without immediately reacting to them, we often discover more space, more choice and greater ease.
A simple practice to try
Take a slow, comfortable breath.
Notice where your body is supported by the chair or the floor.
Rather than focusing only on the area of discomfort, gently widen your awareness to include your whole body.
Notice your breathing.
Notice any places that feel comfortable or neutral.
Allow yourself to rest your attention there for a few moments.
Sometimes even a minute of mindful awareness can help interrupt the cycle of tension and bring a sense of steadiness.
A final thought
Living with persistent pain isn’t easy.
Mindfulness doesn’t promise to take pain away, but it can help us develop a kinder, wiser relationship with it.
Over time, many people find they become less overwhelmed by pain and more able to reconnect with the things that matter most.
References
Burch, V. (2018). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life. Little, Brown Book Group.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1982). An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation. General Hospital Psychiatry, 4(1), 33–47.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Delacorte Press.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2021). Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s: assessment of all chronic pain and management of chronic primary pain (NG193). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193
Pinto, B. M., Tavares, I., & Pozza, D. H. (2024). Enhancing Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Management: A Systematic Review of Mindfulness Therapies and Guided Imagery Interventions. Medicina, 60(5), 686. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60050686
If you’re interested in exploring mindfulness for pain, you’re warmly invited to my upcoming workshop, Mindfulness for Pain, Tension and Physical Wellbeing, at The Yoga Tree, 4 King Street, Stirling FK8 1AY. Book your place here.