Mindfulness and meditation techniques are being used in schools across the country.

A recent study by the University of California-Davis and the non-profit organization Mindful Schools shows mindfulness actually triples students' ability to focus and participate in class activities.

"They're less impulsive with each other, they think about their words before they speak so it definitely spills to into the daily routines," said Heidi Palmiero-Potter 4th Grade Teacher Harris Hill Elementary School.

"Mindfulness can be different things like meditating, deep breathing," said Adam Elbousty, a 4th grade student.

"Like you breathe really slowly," said Preston Payne, a 3rd grade student.

School psychologist Michelle Braun-Burget began testing these techniques three years ago with students.

Braun-Burget says now students are more self-confident.

"They're just more aware of themselves and what makes them upset, what makes them nervous and they have better control now of how to deal with it," Braun-Burget said. "If someone's having a hard time they give them the strategies also. I've heard students say do your breathing...The point behind the techniques that mindfulness brings is helping those children learn coping strategies no matter what their circumstances are."

Mindful Schools says it has trained teachers in all 50 states and more than 100 countries so far, impacting more than 750,000 students.

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Meditation techniques help students focus, study says - WLS-TV