Mindfulness exercises you can try today

But while celebs are only just cottoning on to the technique, it's actually been practiced for thousands of years, and is now popping up in all sorts of unlikely places -big banking and tech firms are paying for their employees to take classes in order to reduce stress and anxiety at work.

And according to mindfulness expert Will Williams, anyone can benefit from the practice. "It can be particularly helpful for middle aged women because hormonal imbalances during or approaching the menopause can be helped by regularly doing this kind of meditation," he says.

It's a technique that encourages focusing your awareness on the present, rather than mulling over the past, or fretting about the future. It's a form of meditation with all religious elements stripped away.There are many classes, books and apps available, but one of the most popular is Headspace (a website and app), which has been downloaded by over one million people, including celebrity fans Emma Watson and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The first steps
Free online classes or apps can be a great way to get started, but many people find they benefit from the guidance of a teacher and the atmosphere in a class.

Will Williams recommends a course with 7-8 hours of teaching time in order to learn everything you need to know. "90 per cent of the people I teach are still practicing daily mindfulness months later."

TIGHTEN THAT BELT When we get stressed, our flight or fight response kicks in, and we'll often crave fatty, sugary foods as the body readies itself for action. But if you're not actually using the calories, they're just stored as fat - not good if you're watching your weight.

"Mindfulness frees you from this stress response, meaning you'll no longer find yourself wanting unhealthy foods," he says. Try to help focus on what you're putting in your body.

Mindfulness impacts all areas of your life, from mental health to your physical wellbeing. "It can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, enhance productivity at work and boost your physical performance in sports. It can even help to soften the edges in relationships as we become more patient, better listeners, and perhaps a little kinder too."

Mindfulness has also been hailed as helping to improve the various symptoms of ailments such as arthritis, chronic pain and immune system dysfunction. Experts recommend 10-20 minutes of mindfulness, twice a day. This sounds like quite a lot, but bear in mind it can be practiced anywhere - on a train, in a cafe, or in the park.

Here are a few easy exercises to get you started

- How to calm down and gather your thoughts

This is a very simple exercise to focus your attention to gentle breathing. Imagine there's a small feather hovering at the end of your nose.

Try to breathe so gently that the feather doesn't move. One minute of this exercise should be enough to bring your scattered mind back into the moment and to make you feel calm.

- How to eat mindfully

Take a small square of chocolate or a raisin and spend at least one minute eating it. Notice the aroma, the texture in your mouth, and what it feels like when you bite into it.

Resist the urge to wolf down the tiny morsel in two seconds, and instead notice all the sensations in your mouth. Try doing this every day for a week, and you'll be amazed at how it changes your whole approach to eating.

- How to fall asleep

A body scan is a great way to calm yourself before you go to sleep, and can also help you doze off again if you wake in the night. Focus your attention on each area of your body, starting with your toes and moving up to your head.

Breathe slowly and deeply with your eyes closed, noticing how each part of your body feels before moving on to the next. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the area of your body you're working on.