In bed meditation

How to Use Meditation for Insomnia, Better Sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you’re not alone. About 35 to 50 percent of adults worldwide regularly experience insomnia symptoms.

For many people, sleeping difficulty is related to stress. That’s because stress can cause anxiety and tension, making it hard to fall asleep. In some cases, stress can simply worsen existing sleep issues.

Meditation may help you sleep better. As a relaxation technique, it can quiet the mind and body while enhancing inner peace. When done before bedtime, meditation may help reduce insomnia and sleep troubles by promoting overall calmness.

Read on to learn about the different types of meditation for sleep and how to meditate for improved sleep. We’ll also look at the benefits and possible risks.

When you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body.

For example, in a 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed how mindfulness meditation affected 49 adults with moderate sleep issues. The participants were randomly assigned 6 weeks of meditation or sleep hygiene education. At the end of the study, the meditation group experienced fewer insomnia symptoms and less daytime fatigue.

According to the researchers, meditation likely helps in several ways. Sleep problems often stem from stress and worry, but meditation improves your relaxation response. It also improves control of the autonomic nervous system, which reduces how easily you’re awakened.

Meditation may also:

increase melatonin (the sleep hormone)
increase serotonin (precursor of melatonin)
reduce heart rate
decrease blood pressure
activate parts of the brain that control sleep

Your body experiences similar changes in the early stages of sleep. As a result, meditation can promote sleep by initiating these changes.

Meditation is a simple practice that can be done anywhere, anytime. You don’t need special tools or equipment. In fact, the only thing you need is a few minutes.

However, establishing a meditation routine takes practice. By making time for meditation, you’ll be more likely to enjoy its benefits.

Here are the basic steps of meditation:

Find a quiet area. Sit or lie down, depending on what feels most comfortable. Lying down is preferable at bedtime.
Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Inhale and exhale deeply. Focus on your breathing.
If a thought pops up, let it go and refocus on your breathing.

As you try meditation for sleep, be patient with yourself. A meditation practice is just that — a practice. Start by meditating for 3 to 5 minutes before bed. Over time, slowly increase the time to 15 to 20 minutes. It’ll take time to learn how to quiet your mind.

Let’s look at specific meditation techniques that tend to work well for sleep and how to do each one.

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present. It’s done by increasing your awareness of your consciousness, breathing, and body.

If you notice a thought or emotion, simply observe it, then let it pass without judging yourself.

How to do mindfulness meditation

Remove all distractions from your room, including your phone. Lie down in a comfortable position.
Focus on your breathing. Inhale for 10 counts, then hold your breath for 10 counts. Exhale for 10 counts. Repeat five times.
Inhale and tense your body. Pause, relax, and exhale. Repeat five times.
Notice your breath and body. If a body part feels tight, consciously relax it.
When a thought comes up, slowly return your focus to just your breathing.

Guided meditation is when another person leads you through each step of meditation. They may instruct you to breathe or relax your body in a certain way. Or, they might have you visualize images or sounds. This technique is also known as guided imagery.

At bedtime, try listening to a recording of a guided meditation. Here’s where you can find recordings:

meditation podcasts
meditation apps and websites
online streaming services, like Spotify
your local library

While the exact steps may vary from source to source, the following step-by-step instructions provide a general overview of how to do guided meditation.

How to do guided meditation

Pick a recording. Dim the light of your phone or device you’re using to listen to the guided meditation.
Start the recording. Lie down in bed and breathe deeply and slowly.
Focus on the person’s voice. If your mind wanders, slowly return your attention to the recording.

In body scan meditation, you focus on each part of your body. The goal is to increase awareness of your physical sensations, including tension and pain. The act of focusing promotes relaxation, which can help you sleep.

How to do body scan meditation

Remove all distractions from your room, including your phone. Lie down in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Notice the weight of your body on the bed.
Focus on your face. Soften your jaw, eyes, and facial muscles.
Move to your neck and shoulders. Relax them.
Continue down your body, moving to your arms and fingers. Continue to your stomach, back, hips, legs, and feet. Notice how each part feels.
If your mind wanders, slowly shift your focus back to your body. If you like, you can repeat in the opposite direction, from your feet to your head.

Better sleep is just one benefit of meditation. When done regularly, meditation can also:

improve your mood
relieve stress
reduce anxiety
increase focus
improve cognition
reduce tobacco cravings
improve your pain response
control high blood pressure
improve heart health
reduce inflammation

In general, meditation is a low-risk practice. It’s typically considered safe for most people.

But if you have a history of mental illness, meditation may worsen or trigger unwanted side effects. This may include:

increased anxiety
depersonalization
derealization
dizziness
intense mood changes

These side effects are rare. However, if you’re concerned about the possibility of these side effects, it’s best to talk to your doctor before trying meditation.

Sleep can be elusive and difficult for many people. Stress and an overactive mind can often stand in the way of getting good quality sleep. Research has shown that meditation can calm the mind and help promote better quality sleep.

And remember, while meditation can improve your sleep, it doesn’t replace good sleep hygiene. This includes following a regular sleep schedule, turning off electronics, keeping your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark, and avoiding caffeine and heavy meals before bed.

How to Use Meditation for Insomnia, Better Sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you’re not alone. About 35 to 50 percent of adults worldwide regularly experience insomnia symptoms.

Read on to learn about the different types of meditation for sleep and how to meditate for improved sleep. We’ll also look at the benefits and possible risks.

When you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body.

Meditation may also:

increase melatonin (the sleep hormone)
increase serotonin (precursor of melatonin)
reduce heart rate
decrease blood pressure
activate parts of the brain that control sleep

Your body experiences similar changes in the early stages of sleep. As a result, meditation can promote sleep by initiating these changes.

Meditation is a simple practice that can be done anywhere, anytime. You don’t need special tools or equipment. In fact, the only thing you need is a few minutes.

However, establishing a meditation routine takes practice. By making time for meditation, you’ll be more likely to enjoy its benefits.

Here are the basic steps of meditation:

Find a quiet area. Sit or lie down, depending on what feels most comfortable. Lying down is preferable at bedtime.
Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Inhale and exhale deeply. Focus on your breathing.
If a thought pops up, let it go and refocus on your breathing.

Let’s look at specific meditation techniques that tend to work well for sleep and how to do each one.

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present. It’s done by increasing your awareness of your consciousness, breathing, and body.

If you notice a thought or emotion, simply observe it, then let it pass without judging yourself.

How to do mindfulness meditation

Remove all distractions from your room, including your phone. Lie down in a comfortable position.
Focus on your breathing. Inhale for 10 counts, then hold your breath for 10 counts. Exhale for 10 counts. Repeat five times.
Inhale and tense your body. Pause, relax, and exhale. Repeat five times.
Notice your breath and body. If a body part feels tight, consciously relax it.
When a thought comes up, slowly return your focus to just your breathing.

At bedtime, try listening to a recording of a guided meditation. Here’s where you can find recordings:

meditation podcasts
meditation apps and websites
online streaming services, like Spotify
your local library

While the exact steps may vary from source to source, the following step-by-step instructions provide a general overview of how to do guided meditation.

How to do guided meditation

Pick a recording. Dim the light of your phone or device you’re using to listen to the guided meditation.
Start the recording. Lie down in bed and breathe deeply and slowly.
Focus on the person’s voice. If your mind wanders, slowly return your attention to the recording.

How to do body scan meditation

Remove all distractions from your room, including your phone. Lie down in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Notice the weight of your body on the bed.
Focus on your face. Soften your jaw, eyes, and facial muscles.
Move to your neck and shoulders. Relax them.
Continue down your body, moving to your arms and fingers. Continue to your stomach, back, hips, legs, and feet. Notice how each part feels.
If your mind wanders, slowly shift your focus back to your body. If you like, you can repeat in the opposite direction, from your feet to your head.

Better sleep is just one benefit of meditation. When done regularly, meditation can also:

improve your mood
relieve stress
reduce anxiety
increase focus
improve cognition
reduce tobacco cravings
improve your pain response
control high blood pressure
improve heart health
reduce inflammation

In general, meditation is a low-risk practice. It’s typically considered safe for most people.

But if you have a history of mental illness, meditation may worsen or trigger unwanted side effects. This may include:

increased anxiety
depersonalization
derealization
dizziness
intense mood changes

These side effects are rare. However, if you’re concerned about the possibility of these side effects, it’s best to talk to your doctor before trying meditation.

Meditation for Perfect Sleep in 10 Steps - Snob

Andy Puddicombe, creator of the Headspace app to help you choose your way to meditate, offers 10 steps to help you wake up in the morning refreshed and full of energy

June 17, 2018 8:23 am

Photo: Maxpixel

Step 1

Lying in bed, inhale deeply five times: in through the nose, out through the mouth. Try to feel how, as you inhale, your lungs fill with air and your chest expands. With an exhalation, imagine how your thoughts and experiences from the past day disappear, and any tension in the body dissolves. This will help prepare the mind and body for the next exercise.

Step 2

Take your time: you can't force your body to relax, and you can't speed up sleep either. Don't worry if there's a whole bunch of thoughts in your head - let them take their course. Don't try to control them.

Step 3

Feel your body touching the bed. Pay attention to where you feel the physical contact most strongly and whether the weight of the body is evenly distributed. Keep your attention on this for 30 seconds.

Step 4

Listen to the sensations in your body. How does it feel to you: heavy or light, tight or relaxed? Move through your entire body like a scanner, from head to toe, watching for any tension that occurs. Scan your body in this way several times for 20-30 seconds. Try to pay attention not only to areas of tension and discomfort, but also to areas where you feel relaxation and peace.

Step 5

Don't try to change the rhythm of your breathing - let your body do its job. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to breathe in this exercise - so don't worry if you feel your breath in your chest instead of your stomach. Just notice whether it is deep or shallow, long or short, soft or intermittent.

Step 6

As you watch your breath, your mind will become distracted. Once you are aware of this, come back to the present moment and bring your attention back to your breath. Do this exercise for a couple of minutes, then move on to the next part of the meditation.

Step 7

Recall the first thing that happened to you that day, starting from the moment you woke up in the morning. Do you remember how you felt? Set your brain to work in "rewind" mode: just watch as the picture of events, meetings and conversations during the day is played out in front of you. The details are not important - a series of general frames passing through consciousness will suffice. Devote about three minutes to this visual journey and end it with the present moment.

In the process, you will start to get distracted again. Try not to sink into the night looking into new reflections. As in the previous exercises, as soon as you become aware that your mind is wandering somewhere far away, return your attention to the place where you left off when watching the “movie”.

Step 8

Come back to the present moment and keep your attention on the little toe of your left foot. Imagine that you "turn off" it before bed - as if you give your joints and ligaments permission to rest, because you will not need them until morning. Continue to relax the leg up to the thigh.

Step 9

Before moving on to the same exercise with the right leg, notice the difference in sensation between the now relaxed and still tense limb. If before that you were not sure whether you feel anything, now the effect of relaxation is quite noticeable. Repeat the previous exercise with the right leg, starting at the toes and ending at the hip line.

Step 10

Continue to "switch off" the body: the fingers, the palms, the arms themselves, and then the neck, throat, face, and entire head. Enjoy the moment of complete release from tension, the absence of the need to do something, the absence of control. Now you can let your mind wander as it wants while you fall asleep.

Learn how to sleep better at night

Are you afraid of night time because you can't sleep or stay asleep? Deep sleep meditation can be the solution to this problem.

Guided Sleep Meditation

If you have trouble sleeping, you may find yourself staying up late, watching TV or browsing your phone in bed, and generally feeling anxious before the morning comes.

These are the general characteristics of those who cannot sleep well. and those who suffer from poor sleep patterns. In fact, some people avoid sleep this way for years.

After all, everyone gets enough sleep, even if it's only for a few hours a night. The problem is that bad sleep habits (the inevitable small amount of sleep that many people live on regularly) can have consequences in your daily life. Insufficient sleep can lead to various health problems, both physical and mental. Even if you lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right and exercise regularly, your life and well-being will suffer if you don't get enough quality sleep.

What can you do to sleep better and improve sleep cycles? It turns out there is a clear answer, and it's not a sleep aid, like a pill, an expensive mattress, or a newfangled therapy.

This is a tried and true, always beneficial practice of meditation.

What is guided meditation or sleep meditation?

As the name suggests, guided meditation is when you are guided through the sleep meditation process. Guided Sleep Meditation is a useful tool for those seeking to improve the quality and quantity of their sleep. Guided meditation is based on the fact that a person is instructed in various processes through a one-on-one communication, video call, video and / or audio recording or application. The goal of guided sleep meditation is to provide better quality sleep for the practitioner. In addition to listening to the instructor, it is highly recommended to turn on background music, such as sleep music, soothing sounds, to set the mood and improve sleep. Be prepared for the so-called body scan.

But how does meditation help you fall asleep?

Here are four specific ways meditation can help you sleep better and improve the quality of your sleep.

Calms the Mind

One way deep sleep meditation prepares you for a long night of deep sleep is by calming the mind, which is often overactive during the day. In Buddhism, a highly active mind is called the "monkey mind." Such a mind behaves like a monkey that constantly jumps from branch to branch, never remaining in one calm place.

While you are at work or school during the day, "monkey mind" can be an inevitable part of managing many areas of your life because it can cause a lot of anxiety that builds up over time. The fight-or-flight response can also contribute to this anxiety.

The fight-or-flight response is a natural response to serious threats to your safety and well-being (eg, strain and/or run if you encounter a bear in the woods). But when it occurs in response to minor stressors, such as weekend socializing or work tasks, it means you become overly anxious, which negatively impacts your mental health.

To calm the "monkey mind" and "fight or flight" response, meditation helps the practitioner to focus on one thing - a very useful skill in all areas of life. A recent study in the Journal of Behavioral Research and Therapy found that focus increases with the simple practice of meditation. In addition, negative intrusive thoughts decreased and acceptance and attention increased.

One of the best ways to use meditation to calm the mind is guided sleep meditation. In particular, guided meditation for sleep can be done with the help of a meditation instructor. In class or at home, a personal meditation coach can help you practice calming sleep meditation tailored to your unique needs.

You can also ask your yoga or meditation instructor about Yoga Nidra, a practice designed to induce complete relaxation and calmness by putting you to sleep (and in some cases completely lulling you to sleep).

Calms the body

One of the main reasons why meditation helps you fall asleep is that it accelerates the same physiological effects in the early stages of sleep. In other words, when you're in a meditation class and want to take a nap afterwards, it's no surprise! Both practices promote sleep. So if you want to sleep better, meditation is the perfect practice before bed.

More specifically, Anahan's meditation teachings allow you to calm your physical nerves and listen to your own heartbeat. Moreover, recent studies have shown that blood pressure decreases during and after the practice of meditation.

You will also notice that when you meditate in your sleep, physical tension leaves your body. One way to speed up this release of tension is to perform a body scan, which will be discussed below. To do this, start at the top of your head or the tips of your toes and consciously scan your entire body, looking for areas of tension and mentally noting the position and condition of each part of the body.

In one version of the body scan, each part of the body is intentionally tightened and tense for a moment, then immediately relaxed and released. Even if you don't pair this type of body scan with a calming meditation for sleep, it can be a useful stress management technique.

Increases concentration

Anxious thoughts, difficult emotions and constant worries often prevent people from falling asleep and not getting enough sleep. On the other hand, those who meditate regularly can focus better and are not easily distracted by disturbing thoughts. An extensive longitudinal study published in Springer's Journal of Cognitive Enhancement found that regular meditation practice can lead to significant improvements in attention span and focus.

Much of this is because meditation focuses on mindfulness.

The practice of mindfulness allows the practitioner to focus on the present moment rather than the past or future. This is good because you are likely to be constantly focused on the past and future, whether you are aware of it or not. Whether you're worrying about what's going to happen tomorrow at school or work, or thinking about that stupid thing you said at a party last weekend. These thoughts are probably one of the biggest sources of your anxiety and daily stress and anxiety.

But the practice of mindfulness, which is inherent in any meditation, emphasizes the present, thus eliminating the possibility of dwelling on and thinking about annoying and useless worries that usually keep you awake at night, disrupting the sleep cycle.

Increases melatonin levels

If you've ever taken melatonin to help you fall asleep, you know it really works. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced in the brain just before sleep.

However, you do not need to take melatonin tablets. You can help your body produce more of it just by meditating. A recent Australian study found that meditation practice stimulates the production of melatonin:

"Experienced meditators practicing either TM-siddhi or another world-famous form of yoga showed significantly higher plasma melatonin levels in the period immediately following meditation compared to the same period at the same time on the control night."

What exactly is a mental scan of the body?

During guided sleep meditations, the instructor will perform a body scan or bodyscan. But what is a body scan?

We refer to body scanning meditation as mindfulness meditation, which promotes awareness of your physical body. The use of physical sensations and visualization helps the user to attach to the root of the mind in the user's body and hold it in the present moment. This is especially used during guided meditation and yoga sessions. A great example of this is Yoga Nidra for getting good sleep.

Using a body scan is not necessarily all that instructors will do, but it is a powerful tool to allow the instructor to guide the practitioner to connect with their body. By doing it, the practitioner will feel the immediate effect of relieving tension in the affected areas, which is one of the best meditation tools. This is why body scans are used for relaxation in the treatment of insomnia.

Is it dangerous? No, it's not dangerous.

Other Benefits of Guided Meditation

In addition to the above benefits, there are many other benefits that can be obtained by practicing this type of meditation. The list of all the benefits is endless. Therefore, we have limited our list to some of the main benefits you can expect:

Stress reduction
Less pain
Treatment of insomnia and sleep deprivation
Relaxation
Lose weight
Improve health
Helps you fall asleep
Better quality sleep
Less worry about things one cannot control

Try meditation for better sleep tonight

Want to sleep better today? Here is a short meditation practice you can try tonight, right before bed.

Step 1: Set the Scene

Although not necessarily related to meditation, this step can be helpful in improving regular sleep.

To help you sleep well, start by dimming the lights in your bedroom. Make sure all screens and appliances are removed. If necessary, set an alarm in advance. Put on pajamas (make sure they are comfortable throughout the night). Make sure your bed has clean linens.

At this point, you can diffuse a soothing fragrance into the air or put a few drops of essential oil on your pillow. Aromas such as chamomile and lavender are good for falling asleep. If you like to sleep with background noise, turn on a stream of white noise or water or wind sounds at a low level.

Now get on the bed.

Step 2: Sit down for meditation and good sleep

To meditate in bed, lie on your back with your head on a pillow, arms at your sides. Position your body, neck and head in a neutral and relaxed position. You should not feel any tension or stress in your body.

To verify this, perform a quick body scan, starting at the top of your head and moving down your body to your toes. Make any necessary adjustments, including repositioning the blanket so that it rests on your body the way you would normally sleep.

Step 3: Take three deep breaths

Start with three deep breaths. Remember that they must come from the base of the lungs. Start by inhaling and exhaling completely, feeling your belly rise. As you inhale, slowly count to five.

Hold your breath for a short moment and then exhale for a count of five. Repeat this breathing exercise two more times.

Step 4: Begin your visualization meditation.

For a meditation for beginners, we will do a short visualization.

Gently close your eyes. Breathe slowly but normally, remember to take air from the very bottom of your lungs, and not breathe shallowly with your shoulders.

Imagine that you are lying on the soft grass in a cozy clearing in the forest. All around you, fresh trees rustle in the gentle breeze. Wildflowers grow at your feet and around you. You hear birdsong and the distant murmur of a mountain stream. The temperature is perfect. You are in the shade, but you feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the forest breeze.

Step 5: Mentally say the mantra.

Now take control of your breathing again. There is no need to continue with a long, drawn-out, deep breathing procedure. Instead, focus on inhaling and exhaling, and repeat the mantra with each inhalation and exhalation. You must move slowly, but not too slowly. You should feel comfortable and relaxed.

Don't forget your cozy place in the woods. You are still there.

Now, as you take your next breath, mentally say the following words: "I breathe in peace and tranquility."

Breathing out, mentally say the following words: "I breathe out stress and tension."

Chant this mantra while continuing to do the deep breathing technique at your own pace and visualize your place in the forest.

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