For many adults, factors like stress can lead to difficulty sleeping. Meditation is like a scan of the body and may assist in improving sleep. Here are three ways to practice meditation.
If you have trouble sleeping at night, you aren’t alone. Around 35% to 50% of adults around the world experience insomnia symptoms regularly.
Meditation can help you sleep better. As a relaxation technique, it can quiet the body and mind while enhancing inner peace. When done before bedtime, meditation can help reduce sleep troubles and insomnia by promoting overall calmness.
Keep reading to learn about the various types of meditation and how to meditate for improved sleep. We will also look at the possible risks and benefits.
How can you meditate?
Meditation is a simple practice that you can do anytime, anywhere. It doesn’t require special equipment or tools, and you only need a few minutes.
However, establishing a routine for meditation takes practice. Making time for meditation can increase one’s chances of enjoying its benefits.
Here are basic meditation steps:
- Find a quiet area. Lie down or sit, depending on what feels the most comfortable. Lying down may be preferable at bedtime.
- Breathe slowly and close your eyes. Inhale and exhale deeply, and stay focused on your breathing.
- If a thought pops up, release it and refocus on breathing.
As you try medication for sleep, give yourself patience. Meditation is just that—a practice. Begin by meditating for three to five minutes before bed. Over time, increase the time slowly to 15 to 20 minutes. It will take time to learn how to quiet your mind down.
Let’s examine specific meditation techniques that tend to work well for sleep and how to do each one.
- Guided meditation
Guided meditation is when someone else leads you through each step of meditation. They might instruct you to relax and breathe in a specific way. Or they might have you visualize sounds or images. This technique is also known as guided imagery.
At bedtime, you could listen to a guided meditation recording. Here’s where to find recordings:
- online streaming services like Spotify
- your local library
- meditation podcasts
- medication websites and apps
While the specific steps might vary from source to source, the following step-by-step instructions provide an overview of how to do guided meditation.
Guided meditation how-to
- Choose a recording. Dim the light of your device or phone to listen to guided meditation.
- Begin the recording. Lie down and breathe slowly and deeply.
- Focus on the person’s voice. If you notice your mind wandering, slowly return to the recording.
- Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation concentrates on the present. It does this by increasing one’s awareness of one’s body, consciousness, and breathing.
If you notice an emotion or thought, just observe it. Then let it pass by without passing judgment on yourself.
How do you do mindfulness meditation?
- Remove every distraction from your room, including your phone, if possible. Lie down in a comfortable position.
- Keep your focus on your breathing. Inhale for ten seconds, then hold your breath for ten counts. Exhale for ten counts. Repeat five times.
- Notice your body and breath. If a part of your body feels tight, consciously relax it.
- When a thought enters your mind, slowly return your focus to only your breathing
- Body scan meditation
In body scan meditation, you focus on every part of your body individually. The goal is to increase awareness of your physical sensations, including pain and tension. Focusing promotes relaxation, which in turn can help you sleep.
How to do body scan meditation
- Remove all distractions from your surroundings, including your phone, if possible. Lie down in a comfortable position.
- Breathe slowly and close your eyes. Notice the weight of your body on the bed.
- Focus on your face. Soften your eyes, facial muscles, and jaw.
- Move to your shoulders and neck. Try to relax them.
- Continue down your body, moving to your fingers and arms. Continue to your back, legs, stomach, hips, and feet. Notice how each part feels to you.
- If your mind wanders, slowly shift your focus back to your body. You can repeat in the opposite direction, from your feet up to your head.
How can meditation help you with your sleep?
When you meditate, several physiological changes can occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing particular body processes.
In a 2018 meta-analysis of 18 trials, the researchers found moderate evidence mindfulness meditation interventions improved sleep quality significantly, even at 5- to 12-month follow-ups.
According to researchers, meditation has the effect of calming the body. It can decrease contemplative thoughts and emotional reactivity, which, when combined, may help with sleep.
Meditation could also:
- increase serotonin (the precursor of melatonin)
- increase melatonin (the sleep hormone)
- decrease blood pressure
- reduce heart rate
- activate portions of the brain that control sleep
Your body experiences changes that are similar to the early sleep changes. As a result, meditation can promote sleep by initiating sleep
Other meditation benefits
Better sleep is only one benefit of meditation. When regularly done, meditation can also:
- relieve stress
- increase focus
- improve your mood
- reduce anxiety
- reduce cravings for tobacco
- manage high blood pressure
- improve cognition
- improve heart health
- improve your response to pain
- reduce inflammation
Are there risks?
Generally, meditation is a low-risk practice. It is considered safe typically for most people
However, if you have a history of mental illness, meditation may trigger or worsen unwanted side effects. This could include:
- derealization
- increased anxiety
- depersonalization
- dizziness
- intense mood changes
These are rare side effects. But if you’re concerned about the possibility of these side effects, it’s best to speak with your physician before trying medication.
To summarize
Many people find sleep difficult and elusive. An overactive mind and stress can often prevent high-quality sleep. Research has demonstrated that medication can calm the mind and help promote better-quality sleep.
Remember, while meditation can improve your sleep, it doesn’t replace good sleep hygiene. This includes turning off electronics, keeping your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool, following a regular sleep schedule, and avoiding heavy metals and caffeine before bed.
