When many people think about meditation, they simply think of monks that live in caves or monasteries, spending their time sitting cross-legged on the floor. Even today, many people do not realize the benefits of meditation, so they never bother to try it out for themselves.

The fact is, meditation is not just for monks and gurus. Anyone can experience and enjoy the benefits of meditation. Both spiritual and non-spiritual people have taken advantage of meditation to improve their lives and health.

Stress reduction is one of the most commonly known benefits of meditation. The simple act of finding a quiet place and clearing your mind can do wonders for your stress level. Even better, the sense of tranquility you'll experience extends far beyond the time that you actually spend meditating - your entire day will flow more smoothly, and you'll be able to tackle your daily tasks with a calm, serene mindset.

The reduction in your stress level opens the door for much of the other benefits of meditation. First, when you reduce your levels of stress you will be able to think much more clearly and complete your daily tasks with relative ease. This leaves you more time to do what you truly enjoy -- which helps to reduce your stress even further.

Second, when you experience stress and anxiety, your body releases cortisol, a dangerous chemical that is the cause of a lot of maladies, including cancer, diabetes, and strokes. Through meditation, you can decrease the cortisol levels in your body, helping you to avoid difficult and potentially life-threatening diseases.

Third, enhanced sleep is a byproduct of stress reduction, making it one of the key benefits of meditation . When it is time to go to sleep we find it hard to quiet our constant stream of thoughts, which is a direct result of the stresses of everyday life. Because of this, we do not get the necessary deep sleep that we must have for the emotional, physical and mental healing we all need so dearly. One of the benefits of daily meditation will be a much better nights rest, increased energy during the day and renewed vigor.

Aside from stress reduction , one of the premier benefits of meditation is the ability to quiet the “monkey mind”, the meaningless chatter that goes on in most people's heads. One problem most of us have is that when we need to really focus we find our minds filled with negative and self defeating thoughts? The "monkey mind", not many of us are aware that such a thing even exists. A regular meditation session helps you to quiet the "monkey mind" to help you focus and reach your goals more efficiently.

Even though the concept of meditation can be rather hard for most people to learn, especially if they perceive their stress and mind chatter as just a “way of life”, the benefits of meditation are well worth the effort. Just twenty minutes a day to meditate is all you need to enjoy the many benefits that will change your life forever!