Mindfulness is a great tactic for stress management and relief because you can practice it any time of day. "A typical practice involves paying attention to your breathing, and when your attention wanders off, you bring your attention back to your breathing," says Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. 

Practicing mindfulness reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, reducing the stress response, according to Winston. "It also impacts and helps prevent our thoughts from taking us into the past or future, which is where a lot of stress lies," Winston says. 

One study found that consistently meditating mindfully for even short periods may boost your mood and decrease stress. Winston notes that the researchers thought four weeks of mindful meditation would make a difference, but it took eight weeks of consistently meditating for folks to see benefits. So keep going if mindful meditation isn't a quick fix — the benefits might be just one body scan away. 

How to practice it:

Start with just five minutes a day and opt for guided meditations if you need help. You can also do everyday activities mindfully, like washing the dishes. "Bring your attention to your feet on the floor, or notice your breath or what's happening in your mind," Winston says. 

Remember that mindfulness is a practice and takes time. "People often get discouraged when they notice their wandering thoughts, but over time you develop more focus and also realize thoughts are not a problem, just keep returning to the present moment," Winston says.