When your brain is so full of worry about your appointments, finding a job, and raising your kids, and your veins have more coffee in them than blood, it may be time to consider adopting some sort of relaxation technique before your high-stress lifestyle takes a serious toll on your health. Meditation soothes the soul and allows your thought processes to flow more smoothly, making it, metaphorically at least, a liquid treat. And the best part is that it's one you can give to yourself without cost. Here are some of the many benefits you could reap by trying it out:

Relaxation

Simply by sitting in a dark, quiet room, controlling your breathing for an hour or so can ratchet your stress levels back down to where they're bearable again. Your body is not required to do anything other than run its own vital functions. You're not required to think about anything. This state can help you recover from your trying day at the factory and get you ready for the evening ahead, like a nap, only more refreshing.

Improved Health

When you meditate, your calm state allows your body to go into recovery mode. Your heart slows down, your breathing slows down, all your functions take their leisurely time happening. Therefore, if you make a habit of it, your body will look and feel more rejuvenated and you'll be less at risk for things like heart attacks and strokes. Compared to someone who has had cosmetic work done, a practitioner of meditation will look just as good (if not better), but more importantly, will FEEL better.

Enlightenment

When you meditate, you force the top level of your mind, the one that's constantly thinking things like "I need to buy diapers for the baby when I drop the kids off at practice" or "I hope my boss likes the Smith report" to shut up. Once those practical top layers are quiet, you'll find yourself getting more in touch with the deeper, more esoteric artistic/instinctual parts of your brain. You may find that you're more creative because of it, or that you feel a connection with a higher power.

Self-Awareness

How do you think your boss got where he is today? By being aware of his strengths and weaknesses, and by persevering in his quest to get what he wanted. You too can find satisfaction and success in your life, but only if you take the time to learn about yourself and what you want. Meditation can help you do that.