An interesting study on cell phones and students found that high-frequency cell phone users tended to have lower GPAs, higher anxiety, and lower satisfaction (unhappiness) with life relative to their peers who used the phone less often (Lepp, Barkley, and Karpinski 2014).

But mealtime doesn't have to be laden with anxiety and guilt. The key? Always being plugged in and tuned in to your body—particularly when you eat.

Most of us experience lots of internal suffering because we replay thoughts and feelings about something that happened in the past or fantasize about something that may or may not occur in the future. In this way, Vipassana is an ideal antidote to emotional eating. When you're eating because of buried feelings, you're not present in the moment but rather consciously or subconsciously numbing your emotions with food. By learning to be present more often, you will be less likely to let emotions govern your choices; instead you can learn to identify them as they crop up.
Through regular Vipassana practice, you may find that many desires and troubling thoughts simply fade away; at the same time, you may develop more compassion for yourself and others.

Research on mantras has found that they can actually change the blood flow in the part of your brain that controls motor and sensory functioning and memory. Chanting "om" has been shown to deactivate the brain structure's limbic system and the amygdala, which helps people manage emotion.

Take 6 to 12 breaths, making the exhalations a little longer than the inhalations. The longer your exhalations, the quieter your mind will get. Conversely, to increase energy, focus on slightly longer inhalations.