"Our bodies need to recharge," she says. "A 20-minute meditation will give you energy for hours afterward. But even three minutes will bring benefits to the body and the mind."

Meditation is a simple practice designed to help us improve our awareness of our ourselves and our surroundings. It starts with sitting in a comfortable position and focusing attention on our breaths. As the mind starts to wander, bring it back gently and patiently. By bringing our minds back to the breath, over and over, no matter how often our attention wanders, our ability to focus and concentrate is enhanced.  

The goal, Dr. Dina says, is to become more present in our lives. "People don't realize how much our minds are all over the place," she says. "And the body is intimately connected with the mind. When the mind starts creating negative scenarios, the body feels the tension."

The meditation practice makes us aware of our thoughts, which helps loosen the tensions and relieve the stress, Dr. Dina explains. "We can examine our thoughts nonjudgmentally, without the added self-criticism, which is often the source of our tension," she said. "It's like trying to fall asleep. The more we try to force ourselves to fall asleep, the more awake we are.  Only when we relax and let go of the fight does sleep come, bringing us the rest we need."