Meditation is a powerful tool for reducing stress and anxiety, improving attention span and sleep quality, and more. It may even reduce the risk of certain chronic health conditions, like high blood pressure and dementia.

But for many people, especially those used to scrolling on their phones for hours on end or riddle with anxious thoughts, the idea of sitting for a prolonged period and forcing yourself to think about nothing can seem impossible.

Of course, meditation isn’t about having no thoughts — in fact, a crucial part of the practice is acknowledging them and letting them go — but if you want some of its benefits without the deliberate mental part, there’s another exercise you can try.

Mental Health Tip of the Day: Try Breathwork Instead of Meditation

Stephanie Mansour, Start TODAY trainer, recommends starting with the breath for anyone struggling to get control of their thoughts.

“Breathwork may be the most accessible tool we have to calm ourselves down and recenter throughout the day. It can be done in your car, your office, or in line at the store and can have a huge effect on our mental state,” Mansour previously wrote for TODAY.com.

Breathwork, originating in Eastern medicine, refers to specific breathing exercises to help the mind and body feel more calm, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Why It Matters

Breathwork (and meditation) can help alleviate stress, which, when chronic, can lead to a host of health problems.

Prolonged stress has been linked to: anxiety, depression, GI issues, chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, worsened sleep, and reduced memory and focus.

How to Get Started

Mansour recommended starting with five easy breaths, counted with your fingers. Breathe in and out five times for five counts each — in total it should take less than 60 seconds. Focus on your breath and how you feel in your body as you do so. If five breaths is too many to start, just try one, and then work your way up to it.

Some other breathing exercises to try include 4-7-8 breathing and box breathing.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.