As a relaxation technique, meditation can help to calm the mind and body, while also improving inner peace. When done before bedtime, it can reduce insomnia and sleep problems by promoting overall calm.
Guided sleep meditation
is a method to help you let go of worrying thoughts and relax your body before bedtime. This practice involves moving the focus away from thoughts to sensations in the body. Regular practice of guided sleep meditation has been shown to improve sleep quality, making it an important strategy for reducing problems with falling asleep and staying asleep.Sitting and moving meditations are best done during the day or before bedtime. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and have a quiet, distraction-free space. Moving meditations include gentle yoga or Tai Chi, activities in which you move slowly while maintaining awareness of your body and the present moment. For some, guided sleep meditations and good sleep hygiene may not be enough. If you have sleep problems that don't seem to improve with changing your routine or taking over-the-counter sleep aids, then it might be time to talk to your doctor.
You and your doctor can explore sleep medications and other treatments that may have more impact than meditations. Sometimes hearing the voice of a meditation teacher is exactly what you need to fall asleep. In guided sleep meditations, instructors (usually with soothing voices) guide you throughout the meditation session. You may be asked to relax your toes, inhale deeply, or even your legs. They can also lead you to imagine a series of relaxing images.
For example, an instructor might invite you to imagine a beautiful sandy beach and imagine yourself happily and serenely sitting along the water's edge while the waves tickle your feet. Imagine breathing in the salty air, with the distant song of seabirds as a lullaby; look, you're yawning already, aren't you? Regardless of which method you choose, remember that in addition to helping with sleep disorders, meditation has a wide range of other benefits that are waiting to be discovered. The best guided sleep meditations will mean that you follow along with an audio guide that you can play on headphones or on a small speaker by the bed. A guided meditation typical of sleep will cause you to redirect your attention from your worried thoughts to your body through what is called a body scan. You should also note the daytime benefits of guided sleep practice, as getting enough sleep at night is related to how you feel during the day. One group of participants received education on basic sleep hygiene practices, while the other group practiced meditation as part of a mindfulness program. Some believe that it is advisable to avoid meditation before bedtime, as the practice can cause sensations of concentration and awareness. 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. It may be necessary to try and practice to find the right method, but meditation has the potential to improve sleep quality.
Far from being a new trend of the era, meditation has been shown to provide a variety of physical and mental health advantages, including improving concentration, reducing stress, managing pain, lowering overall blood pressure, and even helping improve sleep. Sleep meditation can be as simple as inhaling while counting to four and exhaling while counting to four. It is important to note that meditation does not cure underlying conditions that may affect sleep quality or ability to fall asleep. It may be helpful to try to meditate right before bedtime, especially if you suffer from insomnia or stress-related sleep problems. Meditation can also improve sleep directly, even in people who do not experience increased stress or pain.
