Health Sciences North changes brains through meditation

A social worker in Sudbury is trying to improve the lives of patients and staff through a practice called mindfulness.

Gary Petingola, who works in the hospital's Outpatient Diabetes Care Service, says many peoples' lives are too full of worry.

"So much of our life is filled with catastrophizing where we're worried about things that never materialize," he says, and that worry causes stress, and stress is harmful both emotionally and physically. 

"Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment purposefully, non-judgementally."

Petingola holds workshops at the hospital to teach people to focus on the present.

Listen to a sample of his instruction as heard on CBC Sudbury's Morning North radio program with host Markus Schwabe:

Petingola says, thanks to mindfulness, staff at the hospital are able to focus more, be more engaged with patients, and are more attentive in meetings. 

Meditation is also an effective pain management tool that works for anxiety and depression, he adds.

Petingola says meditating 15 to 20 minutes a day can change the structure of the brain for the better.

Mindfulness is easy to add throughout your day. He suggests that, when you brush your teeth in the morning, instead of thinking about your day, focus instead on the toothpaste as you squeeze it onto the toothbrush. He says to observe the colour and think about how beautiful it looks, and then experience the texture and feeling of the brush on your teeth and gums.

HSN mindfulness for leader video:

HSN mindfulness for diabeties video: