The festive season is a wonderful time of year, but it can also be very stressful. Whether it's remembering to get everything you need for Christmas dinner, making sure the kids have their costumes for the nativity play, or finding the time to get presents wrapped and under the tree in time for the big day, there's a lot to think about.

In an effort to help people deal with the stress of the festive season, as well as the pressures of everyday life, today, December 21, has been named World Meditation Day. The event was founded by the United Nations last year and invites people around the world to focus on their own inner peace and consider what unites us, as a way of bringing people together.

Meditation has been shown to have a wide range of benefits, including decreasing blood pressure. According to healthline, studies have shown people who meditate tend to have lower blood pressure, in turn reducing strain on the heart, which can cause issues such as heart attacks or strokes.

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One Reddit user posted a series of tips on the social media site for anyone thinking of trying meditation out for the first time. They wrote: "I’ve always wanted to get into meditation, but every time I tried, I either got bored, sleepy, or just ended up thinking about what to cook for dinner.

"Over the past few months, I’ve finally found a few simple tricks that made meditation click for me. Sharing here in case it helps someone else just starting out."

The first is not to try and "empty" your mind. The user said: "This was a game changer. I used to think I was failing if I had thoughts during meditation. But thoughts are normal! Just notice them, don’t fight them. Treat them like pop-up ads, don’t click, just let them pass."

The second tip is to start small, and begin with just one minute, and work your way up from there. Thirdly, they recommended using your breath like an anchor. Count your breaths in and out, inhaling on one, and exhaling on two, up to a count of 10, then repeating.

Their fourth tip is to connect meditation with another part your daily routine. The Reddit user said: "I meditate right after brushing my teeth in the morning. No excuses, no 'will I do it today?', it’s part of the routine like peeing or washing my face."

They also said playing soft ambient music or rain sounds may help, saying: "Not everyone likes pure silence, and that’s fine. It’s about focus, not torture."

They added meditation doesn't have to be performed sitting down cross-legged "like a Himalayan monk", adding: "Just stay still."

The user also suggested labelling thoughts when they arise during meditation. They explained: "When a thought comes up, I silently label it like 'future planning', 'random memory', or 'junk'. That labelling somehow helps the thought lose power and fade."

Their final tip is that meditation doesn't have to be carried out while sitting. Walking while noticing each step you take is also a form of meditation, as is eating while paying full attention to the meal, without distractions such as your phone or the television.

Meditation has a wide range of other benefits, according to Healthline. These can include cutting stress, reducing anxiety, increasing attention span, improving sleep, controlling pain, and reducing age-related memory loss.

Meditation can also be carried out anywhere, including at work, on public transport, or while out walking.