I’ll be the first to admit complete skepticism about this ancient cross-legged activity but through a little reading and practising it’s probably the simplest and most effective way to reduce and/or manage stress in my life currently.

The benefits are numerous and if you don’t have a daily practice established yet, I strongly encourage it based on the following reasons:

During meditation the heart rate and breathing slow down, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, and you sweat less. Also, your adrenal glands produce less cortisol, your mind ages at a slower rate, and your immune function improves. It is also known to help improve creativity (think Steve Martin as the new age Boss in Baby Mama)!

So, now that you know the benefits, you have no excuses to not give it a try?

5 Easy Steps to Meditation:

1. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lay down where you won’t be disturbed.

2. Close your eyes and just focus on your breathing, feeling your belly rise and fall with each inhale and exhalation.

3. Allow your thoughts and emotions to surface regardless of how negative they may be. Don’t resist them. The more you practice, the more gaps you will experience between your thoughts. Those gaps are critical to the state of meditation.

4. Start with 5-10 minutes of meditation initially and then add on 5 minute increments when you feel ready to lengthen your sessions. If at first you don’t succeed no need to blame yourself. Remember, that it takes a regular practice to remain still for long periods.

5. Use a timer to let you know when you’re session is over so that you can move with awareness into whatever is happening next in your daily routine.

For more information about staying active, check out Jon Benson’s and Tom Venuto’s Fit Over 40 . Benson describes his personal struggles with weight loss and the setbacks he endured during his quest for optimal fat loss.