The benefits of Mindfulness are all in my Head?

Question:  The benefits of mindfulness are all in my head?

Answer: 

The benefits of mindfulness are physiological as well as psychological. This is because the stress reaction we experience when confronted with a stressful event is a physiological reaction – not just psychological. Stress hormones are released into our body and neurotransmitter changes occur that prepare our body and brain to fight or flee. These physiological changes are adaptive in the very short term, but long-term exposure to elevated stress hormones damages both our body and our brain. Studies have linked participation in a mindfulness workshop to positive physiological benefits such as an increase in rates of healing, improvement in immune response and decrease in chromosomal damage as measured by telomere length.