Individuals who experience stress may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating as well as feel depressed, anxious or have a loss of appetite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But according to new research, there may be healthy alternatives that these people can use in order to relieve their stress.

In a new study, researchers from the University of California, Davis and the University of California, San Francisco examined if meditation training was directly linked to a person’s positive well-being and ability to cope with stress.

Telomerase is an enzyme that contributes to DNA sequencing. Tonya Jacobs, lead author of the investigation, said that the research shows “a relation between positive psychological change and telomerse activity.”

The scientists analyzed 60 participants who were either in a control or retreat group. The subjects who were in the retreat group received meditation training and instructions. These individuals also practiced meditation on their own time. Meanwhile, those in the control group did not participate in the meditation training.

Telomerase activity was higher in the subjects who had completed the retreat, compared to the control group. The meditation participants also exhibited a decrease in their negative emotions as well as positive changes in their mood and state of well-being.

Depression affects nearly 15 million American adults in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. These individuals could turn to natural, and healthy ways like meditation to relive symptoms such as stress, which are associated with this disorder.