7 Healthcast: Compassion meditation

The stress of the holiday season takes its toll on many of us. If you're looking for a way to find some peace this time of year, meditation can help you relax and even have more compassion for others.

"We've set out to examine whether or not if you train people in meditation early in life, you could change how they react to stress in ways that would protect their mental and physical health down the road," said Dr. Charles Raison of Emory School of Medicine.

In particular, Dr. Raison looked at a type of meditation that is based on Tibetan Buddhist practices and focuses on compassion toward others.

"Using meditation to try to generate positive emotions and thoughts about everybody," Dr. Raison said.

Raison says this type of meditation leads to health benefits.

"People that have very positive social relationships, a lot of helpful supportive social ties are much less likely to get depressed, much less likely to get sick, less likely to die," Dr. Raison said.

Experts say it only takes 10 to 15 minutes of meditating a day to start feeling the positive effects. So compassionate meditation might be something to add to your new years resolutions.

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