Meditation encompasses a range of mind and body techniques accustomed to promote a state of relaxation. With an extended history dating back thousands of years, meditation is now beginning to gain popularity again and is currently practiced by almost most people for various reasons. Researchers are increasingly inquisitive about the potential of meditation as a treatment for insomnia. Trying to treat insomnia through meditation for sleep is comparatively affordable, low-risk, and simple to implement., It is a lucrative option for people who want healthy lifestyle changes and want treatment to be minimally invasive. 

Can meditation treat insomnia?

Research suggests that various styles of meditation can help improve insomnia, and should even improve sleep quality for those without existing sleep problems. Mindfulness meditation appears to boost sleep quality and reduce daytime disturbance in people with chronic insomnia. Like other sleep treatments, the main goal of meditation is to take the pressure off to go to sleep.

How does meditation affect sleep?

Mindfulness and meditation help give a start to a relaxed state of mind that is conducive to falling asleep. This reaction is usually described as the relaxation response or the opposite of the strain response. Whereas falling asleep involves a gradual reduction in arousal state, insomnia is commonly defined as a state of hyper-arousal. After we are stressed, depressed, or anxious, our brain stays “wired” and we find it harder to go to sleep. Over time, we perpetuate this tension as we start to associate bedtime with worries about not having the ability to go to sleep.

The state of acceptance and awareness invoked by meditation helps reduce psychological distress and improve rumination and emotion regulation. At a biological level, meditation slows the systems in your body and breathing and lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

The exact interplay between meditation and sleep continues to be investigated, but it appears that meditation provokes lasting changes within the brain which will affect sleep. 

How often do you have to meditate?

Meditation may be a skill, and people who practice it more often tend to determine more meaningful benefits. Studies on the comfort response have found that it produces immediate psychological and physical effects, suggesting that daily practice is perfect so as to work out effects on sleep, and if you get proper sleep or not as soon as you hit the pillows. 

How to meditate for better sleep?

To lay the groundwork for your meditation session, start by preparing a relaxed environment in your bedroom preferably and finding a good position. When meditating before bedtime, this could include wearing loose pajamas, turning off the lights, and moving into bed. If you are using your phone or another device to pay attention to a guided meditation session, you need to reduce distractions by turning off notifications, turning down the brightness on your screen, and setting the sound to an appropriate level.

The bedroom environment also should be calm and quiet in general. For better sleep after meditation, your bedroom needs to be appropriate as well. A good bedroom environment is a key to a good and undisturbed snooze. If your mattress is just not right for you, any kind of meditation won’t get you there. For that matter, check your mattress and pillows and if they are in good condition. If it is time to change up, try Livpure Sleep’s wide range of mattresses and pillows- crafted with care using non-toxic components and the best foams out there. Backed by 20 years of innovation, Livpure Sleep has one of the best memory foam mattresses and pillows, latex mattresses, Ayurvedic foam mattresses, and other things for your bedroom. Everything comes with an extended warranty and free shipping. Visit the website today! 

Guided sleep meditations 

• Breathing exercises- This involves regulating your breath, counting breaths, as an example, and eventually slowing your breathing down a small amount, which signals to the body that it is time for sleep.

• Mindful body scanning- As you lie on your bed, you will be asked to keep note of the breath and therefore the places where your body is touching your bed. Then, starting at the toes, you will think about “switching off” any effort in each part of your body, part by part.

• Visualizations- A visualization asks you to imagine a picture or scene, then takes you into a condition that is like hypnosis. 

• Gratitude- Some sleep-focused meditation programs specialize in appreciation meditation and loving-kindness meditation, which ask you to focus hard on gratitude.

• Counting- To slow the mind down and release you from cyclical patterns of thought, you will be invited to count slowly. Starting at 10 (or even 1,000) counting backward to 1, then starting at 10 again. The count will keep decreasing as you practice it more. 

• Silence- A narrator or guide may ask you to lie calmly in silence for up to some minutes, providing little guidance, as some way to focus after an excruciating and busy day.

• Movement based meditation- If you are being guided through a sleep based meditation face to face, you will be invited to participate in mindful movement practices like t'ai chi, low-impact postures, or light stretching.

• Retracing your day- Reviewing your day, in detail, action-by-action, are often an excellent way to distract your mind barely enough to nod off fast. Ranging from getting up in the morning, showering, and having breakfast, spend 20-25 seconds on each of the day’s events, however small. This is often a good way to start powering down, before a breathing or visualization meditation.

Conclusion

Meditation is a very powerful tool for those folks who are struggling with insomnia, sleep deprivation, or sleep disorders. It may require some trial and practice to find the right method, the method that suits you the best. But meditation has a great potential to improve your quality and quantity of sleep.

However, keep in mind that meditation may not work for everyone. If your insomnia persists or if you find that meditation is worsening your symptoms of depression or anxiety, or you have symptoms for other sleep disorders, talk to a doctor. Your insomnia may be caused by an underlying medical condition that requires treatment from a doctor. So don’t be shy of seeking help.