7 meditation tips to help you relax

Meditating regularly can make you a calmer, more efficient person, and it should improve your interactions with others. It can also help people with diabetes manage it better.

Put on loose clothing that does not pull, squeeze or bind you. Make sure that your belt and shoes are not too tight or causing you discomfort.

Comfort and serenity are key.

• Be sure to choose a quiet spot where you'll be free from noise and other external distractions.
• The easy chair in your living room is fine if you're not too slumped in it — a straighter posture may promote mental alertness, lessen your chances of falling asleep and allow for freer, easier breathing.
• You can also sit on the floor near an open window.

You will want to know when your meditation time is over, so set a timer or position a clock within sight of your meditating spot.

Call it a mantra, if you wish, but it's one calming word (preferably one or two syllables) that you can focus on while you meditate.

• Words like "peace" and "joy" are good candidates. You can also pick a sound like "ohm" so that you're focusing on your breathing rather than the meaning of the word.

Once you're ready, distract your mind for 10 to 15 minutes. You may close your eyes or leave them open — it's up to you.

If you prefer your eyes closed and are using a clock to keep track of time, you will need to open them occasionally so you will know when your 15 minutes have passed. Focus on just two things:

1. Your breathing. Breathe deeply and pay attention to the air as it enters and leaves your lungs.
2.  Your word. Repeat it to yourself in your head each time you exhale. If any other thought starts creeping into your head, consciously direct your mind back to your word or sound and to your breathing. Keep everything else outside the bubble of peace that you're in. When your breathing becomes completely relaxed, you won't even hear yourself inhale or exhale. Your goal is to be awake and alert, but not tense.

Meditation feels better over time, so try doing it every day. And don't give up; it could easily take eight weeks for you to get totally comfortable with meditation.

• Eventually, you'll learn to stop "talking to yourself" in your head and you'll slip into a state of alert relaxation faster and faster.
• Once you have the hang of it and meditation feels natural, do it three times per week, 15 minutes per session.

There are CDs made expressly to help you relax.

• Led by a voice, you sit comfortably while the narrator leads you through a series of pleasant mental experiences involving all of the senses, beautiful vistas and welcoming people. Your body responds as if what you're imagining is real.
• There is a range of tapes designed for specific purposes, such as reducing stress, managing pain, losing weight and easing insomnia.
• Look for them at any bookstore.

A related practice, called visualization, requires no tapes, just your imagination.

• Picture a relaxing scene using all your senses.
• For instance, imagine yourself on a sunny beach. Feel the wind on your face and the sand beneath your feet, smell the ocean air and listen to the crash of the waves.