Every year, we are witness to ever-increasing numbers of Americans who die from strokes, heart attacks and other stress-related ailments.

This tells us several things. For one, it tells us that our everyday lives are filled with all kinds of pressures that take their toll on our physical well-being. For another thing, it tells us that we have not yet learned to deal with stress properly or to take measures that can bring down the daily stress levels of our lives.

There's no doubt about it - living in the modern world can be a stressful thing. We worry about traffic and pollution. We encounter stressful situations everywhere, from our homes to our offices and through a dozen or so other irritants caused by people we meet in the course of daily life. We work longer hours, consume less healthy food and hardly undergo any exercise. Some of us even smoke heavily, drink heavily and indulge in illegal drugs. Others have to bear with dysfunctional friends or families.

In addition, mental and physical health costs are skyrocketing. Only a precious few can afford regular physical or psychiatric counseling or assistance. We know we need relief but sometimes it just costs too much. What other alternatives are there?

It's about time we tried meditation.

Meditation is ideal for everyone, especially for those with hectic and stressful lifestyles. Meditation is defined as an engagement in contemplation, especially that which is spiritual, religious or devotional in nature. It teaches us to reflect upon our day and to find happiness within ourselves. Through meditation, we can keep our mind fit, relieve stress and promote overall good health.

The mind operates through brainwaves whose activity is altered as we go through different tasks and emotions. According to modern alternative medicine, these brain waves produce energy, which is the main medium through which our central nervous system communicates with our bodies.

As we pass through the different stages of our day, we enter various stages of brain wave activity. Our brainwaves alert us when we need to rest our busy minds and our tired bodies. Meditation can lay our brainwaves to rest. Breathing techniques, music, various aromas and scents as well as candle therapy are different ways to enhance meditation and ease the mind.