Introduction
You’re not the only one who struggles to stay asleep at night. Globally, between 35 and 50 % of people have regular insomnia symptoms.
Anxiety is frequently linked to trouble falling asleep. This is so because tension and anxiety from stress can make it difficult to relax and go to sleep. Sometimes, stress will just make existing sleep problems worse.
According to research, Americans don’t get enough sleep: Most individuals need 7-9 hours of sleep every night to perform at their best, yet a recent Gallup study found that more than 40% of Americans sleep for less than 7 hours each night.
Some people take satisfaction in their capacity to function well without sleep, or they feel resilient. This is represented in sayings like “You snooze, you lose” and “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” But more recently, sleep has been recognised as a vital aspect of healthy living in both study and lifestyle.
You might get better sleep if you meditate. It can calm the mind and body while improving mental calm as a deep relaxation. By fostering general serenity, meditation before sleeping may help lessen insomnia and sleep problems.
Continue reading to discover the many forms of meditation for sleep and how to meditate for better sleep. We’ll also examine the advantages and potential drawbacks.
How can meditation help with sleep?
Sleep quality, not the number of hours, is more important for good health. The inner circumstances necessary for a really restful night’s sleep are created by sleep meditations. Because calming the mind allows the body to rest, which in turn facilitates winding down and falling asleep.
According to science, meditation increases the likelihood of getting a good night’s sleep by slowing breathing and activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Why should you decide to meditate before going to sleep?
Meditation has been demonstrated to enhance the quality and efficiency of sleep, how fast you sleep, and how much you can stay up throughout the day, particularly if you struggle with insomnia or difficulties going to sleep.
You may fall asleep more quickly and sleep more peacefully if you do meditation before going to bed.
We should meditate for sleep in the same manner we meditate throughout the day: slowly, with a relaxed gaze. When we let the body unwind and the mind drift off, we do so in a calm, soothing way rather than trying to force sleep because if we don’t, we encourage more thoughts and perhaps even some stress.
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How to meditate to sleep
Through meditation, we learn to be more mindful of the here and now. When we suddenly halt and become still before going to sleep, the mind’s propensity to become preoccupied with thoughts is likely at its height.
A focused, guided meditation practice designed specifically for sleep gives healthy sleep assistance all on its own by enabling us to let go of the day’s events and communications so that we can unwind mentally while also unwinding physically.
Simple meditation techniques can be used at any time, anywhere. You don’t require any specialised tools or gear. In actuality, all you need are a few minutes.
But it takes practice to develop a meditation regime. You’ll be more likely to profit from meditation if you make the time to do it.
These are the fundamental actions of meditation:
- Locate a peaceful spot. Depending on what feels most comfortable, either sit or lie down. At bedtime, lying down is preferred.
- Put your eyes closed and take deep breaths. Deeply inhale and exhale. Remember to breathe deeply.
- Release any thoughts that arise and return your attention to your breathing.
- Be gentle with yourself as you experiment with meditation for sleep. Just like anything else, meditation requires practice.
You can also try the following:
Find the places of tension and relaxation in your body by beginning at the bottom. Afterwards, start counting your breaths. Simply return your focus on counting your breaths if your mind starts to stray. The goal is to stop worrying and provide your mind with something else to focus on for a little while so you can go back to sleep.
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Mindfulness meditation
The present moment is the main focus of mindfulness meditation. It is accomplished through raising your level of mindfulness of your body, breath, and awareness.
- Just watch any thoughts or feelings that come to mind, then allow them to pass without putting yourself down.
- Take your phone and all other sources of distraction out of your room. Make yourself comfortable and lie down.
- Remember to breathe deeply. Breathe in for 10 counts, then exhale slowly for 10 counts. Ten times, exhale. Five times, please.
- As you inhale, stiffen up your body. Pause, unwind, and breathe out. Five times, please.
- Keep your body and breath in mind. Consciously relax any area of your body that feels tight.
- Slowly shift your attention back to your breathing whenever an idea enters your mind.
Guided meditation
You might learn new strategies and methods to unwind the body and mind, let go of the day, and ease into relaxation as you go through a guided meditation that is based on sleep.
When someone else guides you through each phase of meditation, it is called guided meditation. They might give you instructions on how to breathe or unwind your body. You can also be asked to picture certain noises or images. The term “directed imagery” is another name for this method.
Try listening to a guided meditation recording before going to sleep. Where to find recordings is listed here:
- Podcasts for meditation
- Websites and applications for meditation
- Spotify
- YouTube
Guided meditation techniques
- Select an audio file.
- While listening to the guided meditation, turn down the brightness on your cellphone or another device.
- Beginning the recording
- Breathe softly and deeply as you lay in bed.
- Consider the tone of voice. If your thoughts stray, gradually bring them back to the recording.
Body scan meditation
During a body scan meditation, you pay attention to every area of your body. The objective is to become more conscious of your bodily experiences, such as stress and pain. Concentrating encourages relaxation, which can aid with sleep.
- Take your phone and all other sources of distraction out of your room. Make yourself comfortable and lie down.
- Put your eyes closed and take deep breaths. Take note of how much weight is on the bed.
- Observe your face. Relax the muscles in your jaw, eyes, and face.
- Go to your shoulders and neck. Unwind them.
- Move down your body farther, to your fingers and arms. Then move on to your back, legs, feet, hips, and stomach. Observe how each component feels.
- If your thoughts stray, gradually bring them back to your body.
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Other benefits of meditation
- Acquiring a fresh viewpoint on trying circumstances.
- Developing your stress management abilities.
- Increasing awareness of oneself.
- Living in the moment
- Minimising bad feelings.
- Increasing creativity and ingenuity.
- Increased tolerance and patience.
- Many types of meditation may aid in your self-understanding growth and help you become your best possible version.
- For instance, self-inquiry meditation specifically attempts to assist you in becoming more aware of who you are and how you interact with people around you.
- Meditating with intense concentration is like lifting weights for your attention span. Your attention strength and stamina are improved.
- Enhancements to concentration and mental clarity may aid in brain ageing.
- A mantra or chant and rhythmic finger movements are used in the meditation technique known as Kirtan Kriya to help you focus your thoughts. It enhances efficiency on neuropsychological tests, according to studies in persons with age-related memory decline.
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