19 Dec How to Use Meditation for Sleeping Better

Meditation is the remedy to all of your sleeping woes. Meditate to sleep better with do-it-yourself meditation practices to help you prepare for rest, and put worries or discomfort behind you.These techniques work best when done right before bedtime, in a quiet, calming environment. However, you can also practice them several times a day.If you can keep your stress levels under control during the day, you’ll sleep better at night. You can even do them at your desk or on the train.

Mindfulness meditation

Focusing on different aspects of your life before bed can help you earn your rest, if you’re able to let those thoughts go. You need to look at one thing at a time, which slows things down. Focus on an issue in your life, then let it go. The major learning experience here is letting go.

For some people, it may help to write in a journal during the day. For 15 minutes, take those issues that run through your head at night and write them down. Then for the next 15 minutes make a plan and write that down too. At night when the lights are off, you can’t do anything about it, but by processing things in the daytime, you can.

Guided imagery

Some people imagine a calm scene to help them wind down at the end of the day. There are no rules about what you should imagine, so long as it’s calming. Although clouds, the ocean, beaches and mountains are common choices, you can focus on something as general or as specific as you want.Pick a place that feels safe, and, using your imagination, invite any or all of your senses to explore it. The brain doesn’t always know the difference between pretend and real. If you watch a scary movie, you can get scared for real, just as if you imagine eating something vividly enough, you might start to salivate. Guided imagery can be done alone or with a specialist, such as a sleep doctor, cognitive-behavioural therapist, or hypnotherapist, or by listening to a guided session. You need to imagine someplace comfortable and peaceful, and there’s no particular place which has to be peaceful for everyone. The ocean may seem peaceful for one person, but traumatic for another.”

Abdominal breathing

Breathing from the abdomen and putting your attention on those breaths can help you relax, both during the day and in bed at night. Some people may enjoy lying in a dimly lit room, closing their eyes, or listening to soft music while focusing on their breath.While sitting or lying in bed, try placing your hands on your belly. When you breathe in and breathe out, your hands may gently move. Focusing on this movement gets your mind off of your busy thoughts and onto your body. You can distract yourself and bring yourself to a different place. It’s very calming.

Counting down

While lying in bed, start by gazing upward. A little eye strain relaxes you. Take an abdominal breath and hold it, and on the out breath, let everything relax. Repeat one or two times. You might then try imagining yourself walking down a flight of stairs or a gentle hill while counting down from 10 or 20, each number signifying your movement to a lower step, exhaling with each imaginary step.You can also weave a number of these techniques together.
So sleep well tonight, good night!

Namaste!