Meditation Tool

Meditation may help control your vagus nerve, and controlling that sucker can help improve everything from your memory to your immune system.

So carve out a little time each day to meditate. Before bed is a good time, or when you feel stress is starting to get the better of you.

How to Meditate
The goal here is to clear your mind of all thoughts. Yep, all of 'em.

The first step: Silence. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably without being disturbed.

Step two: Close your eyes. You don't have to do this to meditate -- some people like to focus on an object -- but closing your eyes may help you stay focused, especially when you're just beginning.

To help clear your mind, pick a simple word (om really is a good one) and repeat it to yourself over and over. Slowly -- there's no rush. Savor the word until it fills your mind. Why? Focusing on one word helps keep distracting thoughts -- like your to-do list -- from seeping into your gray matter and stressing you out.

Over time, you'll develop your own personal focus and style of meditating, so try to figure out what works best for you. Remember the objective is to search for a path that gives you comfort and offers an opening that allows you to find deeper meaning in life. So whether you focus on breathing, a prayer, or the inside of your eyelids, try to squirrel away at least 5 minutes of silence every day.

Shhhhhhhhh . . .