American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: “The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” Many who struggle to sleep well at night might agree with this. Poor sleep quality or quantity can affect our mind and our body, so it makes sense to do what we can to improve our hours spent in slumber.
Guided sleep meditations are one free and accessible way to enhance deep rest. Many people around the world turn to meditation to sleep better. We will explore possible reasons and more in this guide to using meditation for sleep.
- How Meditation Helps Us Sleep Better
- 4 Meditation for Sleep Techniques
- A Self-Guided Meditation for Sleep
- 10 Guided Sleep Meditations to Sleep Better
How Meditation Helps Us Sleep Better
Why is it that so many people turn to meditation to sleep better? Is this simply a new trend or is there science behind it? Over the past decades, researchers have looked at the connection between meditation and sleep. That research points to a variety of possible explanations for why this technique helps many people, and which types of meditation might be supportive. Some of those findings include:
Mindfulness meditation can reduce stress and anxiety.
One of the reasons that many people experience difficulties with sleep is due to stress and anxiety. When we are stressed, our physiology is on high alert. Cortisol levels rise, and when this becomes chronic, it can interfere with sleep. Since mindfulness meditation can induce the relaxation response, this may be one of the reasons people find this technique supportive of sleep.
Visualization may also induce relaxation and support sleep.
Another common meditation for sleep technique is visualization. Visualization involves the creation of mental images – and in sleep meditations, the focus is on cultivating mental imagery that evokes peace, ease, and relaxation. Where stress and anxiety are contributing to sleep issues, visualization may be supportive.
Mindfulness meditation may help with chronic pain, which is a root cause of sleep issues for many.
In one small randomized trial, 39 adult women with fibromyalgia syndrome took part in a seven-week mindfulness program or were placed on a waiting list. The researchers reported that the mindfulness group showed significant improvements across all sleep-related measures compared with the control group, and that the improvements were maintained at a three-month follow-up. The authors describe the program as showing promise for sleep problems related to fibromyalgia, so mindfulness meditation may be supportive for those who struggle with it.
Mindfulness techniques may support sleep quality by enhancing emotion regulation.
Another study reported a correlation between intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and hyperarousal and lower overall sleep quality. It suggests that mindfulness may help with sleep issues where these factors are present, since mindfulness can increase self-awareness and support non-reactivity to negative thoughts. This supports emotion regulation.
These are just a selection of the potential explanations for why certain types of meditation may support us in falling asleep. Since there are many different types of meditation (e.g. body scans, mindfulness of breathing, TCM), there is no single mechanism to explain why the practice is helpful. Bear in mind that some meditation styles are more activating than others and that the ones used for sleep are more mindful, nurturing, or calming in nature. Seek out meditations that are explicitly designed for sleep or that use techniques that help to calm and relax mind and body.
A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.
– Charlotte Brontë –
4 Meditation for Sleep Techniques
As noted, there are a variety of different meditation techniques we can explore to enhance sleep quality. If you are looking to use meditation to sleep better, consider the following primary techniques:
Mindful Breathing or Deep Breathing
First and foremost, breath awareness is a common technique used in many different meditation practices. When it comes to sleep, mindful breathing can act as an anchor for our attention and deep breathing can be used to enhance the body’s relaxation response. Many guided sleep meditations begin with awareness of the breath.
Body Scan Technique
Another popular meditation for sleep technique is the basic body scan. Body scans invite us to draw our attention through the physical body, which can help to quiet a racing mind. Some body-based meditation practices also include active relaxation, such as the technique known as Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
Visualization
As mentioned, visualization is another common practice in sleep meditations as it helps to induce the relaxation response. You can listen to a guided visualization practice to explore this technique or you can take your own inner journey to a place of peace. If opting for the latter, call to mind a place in the world (such as a beach or a forest) where you feel calm, at ease, and supported. Notice how visualizing this place impacts the state of your body and mind.
Calming Music
Furthermore, many sleep meditations include a backdrop of peaceful music to help us sink off into slumber. As we listen to music, our body responds. In one study, women who listened to relaxing music before a standardized stress test recovered faster in terms of autonomic nervous system activity, with a smaller effect on the cortisol and psychological stress response. Meditations for sleep might incorporate piano music, nature sounds, or other calming vibrations.
In addition, guided meditations can include other techniques, such as counting, positive affirmation repetition, or intention setting. Sleep meditations are therefore wide and varied. Take your time to discover which techniques feel most helpful to you.
A Self-Guided Meditation for Sleep
Below we offer ten different guided sleep meditations to help you sleep better. However, it is also helpful to know how you can practice on your own. If you wake in the middle of the night, for instance, you might find it too distracting to reach for your phone to play a guided meditation. Read through the following instructions and keep these notions tucked away for later use.
Begin by recognizing what is happening – with compassion and curiosity.
Often, when we realize we are struggling to fall asleep (or to stay asleep), we begin to panic. This is natural, but panic can add to the stress in the body and mind. Instead, see if you can just become aware of this moment without judgment, fear, or worry. Take a few cleansing breaths if this feels helpful.
Cultivate self-compassion for this experience.
Speak to yourself the way you would speak to a loved one if they were struggling to fall or stay asleep. What words would you use? What would your energy be like towards them? Offer to yourself the same level of reassurance and care that you would offer someone you love.
Tune into your body.
Draw your attention towards the crown of your head and slowly scan your awareness towards your toes. If you come across any areas of tension that can be safely and comfortably released, let go of that tension. Breathe love into any areas of your body that are tense or uncomfortable.
Once you finish the body scan, shift your attention towards your breath.
Notice if you can hear your breath. Liken your breath to soft waves (if that is a comforting visualization for you) and if your mind wanders, remember that your breath is an anchor. Stay present with that steady ebb and flow, knowing you do not have to change your breath in any way. Allow it to deepen or slow down on its own, but do not force anything.
Stay with your breath until you drift off to sleep.
If your mind has trouble staying present with the breath, practice another body scan. And remember to stay curious, compassionate, and non-judging towards your experience. Take care of yourself – mind and body – trusting that rest can come.
10 Guided Sleep Meditations to Sleep Better
It is helpful to know how we can meditate into sleep on our own. However, guided sleep meditations can be helpful, especially in the beginning as we become more familiar with these techniques. Consider the following practices, bookmarking your favorites to return to when needed.
Sleep Meditation – Ocean Visualization
If the thought of the ocean brings you a sense of peace and ease, consider this guided ocean visualization to sink into slumber. This practice includes a guided meditation script that may be helpful if you are a mindfulness teacher and wish to support others with sleep challenges as well.
Log Fire Sleep Meditation by Jason Stephenson
For those that feel drawn to the sound of a crackling log fire, consider this sleep meditation by Jason Stephenson. It includes calming sounds and visualizations to support listeners in relaxing and drifting into sleep.
Guided Sleep Meditation by Deepak Chopra
This four-minute practice is a gentle way to get ready for sleep. Deepak Chopra invites us to cultivate an attitude of relaxation before offering guidance for breath awareness and mantra repetition. It can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleep.
Gratitude Body Scan – Sleep Meditation Course
One of many guided meditations in the Sleep Meditations course, the gratitude body scan practice offers a twist on the classic body scan. As it guides us to notice different parts of the physical body, it also calls us to cultivate appreciation for these parts.
Counting 1 to 10 – Sleep Meditation Course
In this guided meditation, Jeremy Lipkowitz uses the technique of counting out the breath. This method of focusing our attention can help cultivate a quiet mind, which may support us in drifting off to sleep.
Deep Sleep Meditation Music for Insomnia
For those that feel drawn to using music as a tool for sleep, this deep sleep meditation track is described by its creator as composed with seven solfeggio frequencies to bring balance to the seven chakras, a claim that comes from sound-healing tradition rather than sleep research. There are no words spoken in this track; it is the music that guides you into relaxation.
Surrender Meditation by Jason Stephenson
Another sleep meditation by Jason Stephenson, this is a practice that invites us to let go and to trust the universe. This meditation includes a variety of meditation for sleep techniques, such as breath awareness, body scanning, and relaxing music.
Tranquil Body Scan Meditation by Sean Fargo
With a soft backdrop of gently flowing water, this guided meditation led by Sean Fargo is an invitation to tune into the physical body and to relax. It is a ten-minute practice that can help us transition from the activity of the day toward the restfulness of sleep.
Rain Sounds – 10 Hours
Another music track to fall asleep with is this recording of rain sounds. The ten-hour track serves as a gentle backdrop to calm the mind and guide us deeper into relaxation. You can listen to this track and focus strictly on the sounds or you can practice other meditation techniques alongside it (i.e. breath awareness).
Equanimity Meditation – Sleep Meditation Course
Lastly, this guided meditation led by Jeremy Lipkowitz helps us to cultivate the quality of equanimity – a state of inner peace and balance. As your inner world settles, the body may find it easier to drift off to sleep.
REFERENCES
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment/meditation
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/202004/the-effects-cortisol-your-sleep
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01365/full
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346367535_The_Relationship_between_Mindfulness_and_Sleep_Quality_is_Mediated_by_Emotion_Regulation
- https://www.verywellmind.com/visualization-for-relaxation-2584112
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3734071/
