Most of us probably have half an hour of free time to spare somewhere in the day. Think about it for a second, there’s probably some point at which you could grab a 30-minute reprieve. It could save your life.

That’s because a scientific study has revealed a simple way that you can use that half-hour period to help you reduce stress levels. The study, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, showed that 25 minutes of meditation every day can help reduce stress in situations that would normally induce anxiety.

Now, you may think that to really feel dramatic results from meditation, you’d have to be a highly trained monk or have spent years perfecting the art of mindfulness, but you’d be wrong.

The truth is, according to the study, participants only meditated for just a few days before the stress-relieving effects became apparent.

How to Use Mediation for Fast Benefits

The training was incredibly simple. The study subjects simply learned how to focus on their breath and do controlled breathing. They were told to focus on the present moment, and not think about outside distractions or the obligations they had to accomplish later in the day or week.

For this study, the participants only trained for three days. At the end of the three day period, they were asked to take an assessment test that measured math and speech skills. After the test, they were asked about how stressed they felt during the experience.

Those who did the three-day meditation training reported lower stress than the other group. It just goes to show that you don’t need to be an expert to feel the positive effects of mindful meditation.

What Are the Other Benefits of Meditation?

Meditation has been used for thousands of years because it has many health and wellness benefits. Here are a few reasons why you should consider trying meditation, even if you’ve never practiced it before.

Improved Concentration

Meditating can help you focus your mental energy by clearing your thoughts and other distractions. After a good session of mindful meditation, you can return to work with a clear directive. Without distractions buzzing around in your head, you’ll find yourself more able to focus on difficult tasks, and your overall productivity may increase.

Increased Happiness

Focusing on the present moment is a great way to improve your happiness and life satisfaction. It can be easy to stress about the next day’s problems, or bills that are due later in the month, or other sources of distress that may exist in your life. By taking a few minutes out of the day to put those worries aside and focus on yourself, you’ll find your mood during the rest of the day is better and more uplifted.

Slow the Signs of Aging

Meditation helps keep your mind sharp, which can put off those “senior moments,” like walking into a room and forgetting what you wanted to do. In fact, studies even show that meditation can physically affect your brain chemistry, preserving your cognition in a way that non-meditators may not experience.

Less Stress

As the study mentioned above shows, meditating even for just a few days can make you feel less stressed about performing tasks that might otherwise seem daunting. Thirty minutes of gentle deep breathing and pushing the negative thoughts away in favor of clearing your head can do wonders for your overall stress levels.

Heart Health Support

When you meditate, it helps to lower your heart rate, which has all sorts of cardiovascular benefits. Regular meditation can potentially support healthy heart function, keeping you more energized so you can be more active.

Boosted Immunity

A few minutes of mindful meditation can help your body recharge on the cellular level. Your body needs energy to function properly, and by taking time to rest and de-stress during a meditation session, you allow your body to recharge. This can help support your immune function, keeping you on your feet and ready for the rest of the day.

Better Self-Awareness

Taking a few minutes to focus on yourself each day has benefits that go beyond physical wellbeing. By thinking about your own self, you may discover things you never knew about what motivates you, what stresses you, and what you’d like to improve about yourself.

One of the best parts about meditation is you can keep the entire practice to yourself; you don’t need to share it with anyone. So you can think long and hard about the ways you want to improve, and how you can make it happen.

Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Meditation allows you to focus on your own health and wellness, which naturally will encourage you to take better care of your body and mind. When you’re more conscious of how your body feels and how your mind is operating, you will take steps to improve your health through better diet, more exercise, and other healthy habits.

The Natural Conclusion

Meditation is a very easy way to boost several important health factors. You can do it right at home in less than thirty minutes, and it costs nothing. If you aren’t practicing meditation, you should consider picking up the practice to see how it improves your wellness and your overall mood.

Even though meditation should be a time to focus on yourself, and it can be done alone, it can also be done in a group. Organizing a weekly meditation circle with your friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers can be a great way to bond with the people in your life.

It may sound strange, sitting quietly in a circle with a group of people, but you’d be surprised the bonds you can build when you meditate together with others. Whether you prefer to meditate by yourself or in a group, this is one habit that will help keep your mind and body refreshed!