Sleep meditation is a state between being awake and sleeping, in which you put yourself in an “iodic dream”, essentially a state in which the body is completely relaxed but mentally conscious. Known as Yoga Nidra (which means sleep in Sanskrit), it is used as a method of relaxation (or meditation) for the mind, body and soul. In simple terms, guided sleep meditation involves meditating before bed, usually while lying in bed. While you can practice sleep meditation on your own, guided practice usually means that you listen to an audio recording that guides you through the steps of guided sleep meditation. Sleep meditation is also called Yoga Nidra, which, in Sanskrit, means sleep.
It is often used by those who want to achieve a relaxed mind and body holistically. However, meditation goes beyond sleep. It is consciousness, which knowingly becomes self-conscious. That same consciousness is present during wakefulness, sleep and sleep, and it is witness to all of them. When we feel stressed, our bodies enter into a physiological response called fight or flight.
In this state of hypervigilance, the body causes you to stay awake because it fears danger. If you can release the stress in your life and practice a calm mind, it will be much easier for you to fall asleep. Given that adults need 7-9 hours of sleep to function better, and adolescents need even more (8-10 hours), it is not surprising that methods for improving sleep are becoming increasingly known. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine can help with your overall health and well-being, even if you don't put you to sleep right away. Both release tensions, but the rest that meditation provides is much deeper than the rest that comes from sleep.
Meditation and sleep are hypometabolic states, in which breathing and other bodily activities decrease. Transcendental meditation is a popular branch of meditation based on the techniques of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I would get into bed, ignore any persistent text, switch my phone to sleep mode and turn on my sleep story. Meditating before bed can be one of the most beneficial ways to help you relax your body, de-stress your mind and enjoy a restful night's sleep. In addition to practicing meditation, make sure that sleep hygiene is in place to allow for a restful sleep. Proper diet & exercise; a calm, cool and calm environment to sleep; set food and bedtime; reduce the amount of alcohol and caffeine consumed at night, all these things can have a big impact on your sleep.
Instead, it is better to think of sleep and lack of brightness during meditation as the release of fatigue and stress. For some of us, it will be necessary to sleep a lot and get tired during meditation and sometimes even after meditation. Regular practice of guided sleep meditation has been shown to improve sleep, which means that this method is an important strategy you can use to help reduce problems with falling asleep and staying asleep. He explained yoga nidra as a state of mind between wakefulness and sleep that opened deep phases of the mind, suggesting a connection with the ancient tantric practice called nyasa, whereby Sanskrit mantras are placed mentally within specific parts of the body, while meditating on each part (of the body-mind). You can find guided sleep meditations at the Chopra Center, on YouTube, in apps like Insight Timer and Calm, on Spotify and iTunes, and anywhere you download audio programs. Although in sleep consciousness is not active in any of its ways, it is still present as a witness to the dream. Guided sleep meditation is a method to help you let go of worrying thoughts and relax your body before bedtime. The benefits of guided sleep meditation are numerous: it helps reduce stress levels; it helps improve concentration; it helps reduce anxiety; it helps improve mood; it helps improve overall health; it helps improve quality of life; it helps reduce insomnia; it helps reduce fatigue; it helps improve cognitive performance; it helps reduce depression; it helps improve physical performance; it helps reduce pain; it helps improve memory; it helps increase creativity; it helps increase self-awareness; it helps increase self-confidence; it helps increase resilience; it helps increase empathy; it helps increase relaxation; it helps increase spiritual connection. Incorporating guided sleep meditation into your daily routine can help you achieve better quality restful nights' sleeps as well as improved overall health and well-being.
