Fun Fact: The best professional athletes in the sports world are turning to meditation--which has been shown to reduce stress and improve focus--to boost their game and ease the anxiety of high-pressure performances.Athletic greats, such as Joe Namath and Kobe Bryant have spoken out about the benefits of meditation as a tool for athletic success.

How much is too much? If you are just starting out, it is recommend that you meditate for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes every day. You can start with even less, maybe try it for 1 minute in the morning. When you can sit still and relax for that long, move to 2 minutes.

Mindfulness can induce the relaxation response. This response engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for restoring the body to base levels after a stress response, calming it down by lowering the heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

Mindfulness is being in the present moment without any thoughts or distractions. It is when we use our senses to connect with our mind and body.