[Mindfullness] The antidote for mind wandering is attention to attention itself

Wandering minds punch holes in comprehension.

The antidote for mind wandering is meta-awareness, attention to attention itself, as in the ability to notice that you are not noticing what you should and correcting your focus. Mindfulness makes this crucial attention muscle stronger.

Then there are the well-established relaxation effects, such as the calm emanating from a breathing buddies classroom. This physiological impact suggests a downshift in the set point for arousal in the vagus nerve circuitry, the key to staying calm under stress and recovering quickly from upsets. The vagus nerve manages a host of physiological functions, most notably heart rate—and so the quickness of recovery from stress.

Higher vagal tone, which can result from mindfulness and other meditations, leads to greater flexibility in many ways. People are better able to manage both their attention and their emotions. In the social realm they can more easily create positive relationships and have effective interactions.

Beyond such benefits, mindfulness meditators show symptom lessening in a remarkable range of physiological disorders, from sheer jitters to hypertension and chronic pain. "Some of the biggest effects found with mindfulness are biological," says Davidson, adding, "It's surprising for an exercise that trains attention."