A spoken guided sleep meditation to help you relax and wind down, with music and rain sounds. It may help on nights when sleep is slow to come.
If you have ongoing trouble sleeping, it’s worth talking with a doctor or sleep specialist. This meditation and the habits below are general suggestions, not medical advice or a treatment for insomnia, and mindfulness can complement professional care.
Mindful Habits for Better Sleep
The eight habits below come from contributing writer Karen Fabian, a Certified Baptiste Yoga teacher. She writes that sleep supports a healthy mind and body: during sleep, blood pressure typically drops, muscles relax, tissues repair, hormones are regulated and energy is restored. Despite the benefits, many people struggle to get a good night’s sleep. The struggle can come from habits like eating and working late, and often from chronic stress that builds up over the day. These 8 habits may help you settle stress and sleep better.
1. Practice a few relaxing yoga poses before bed.
A few yoga poses may help you relax. Getting the legs up above the head may help drain blood and other by-products of standing. Lying on your back, lift your legs up and lean them against a wall. This “Legs Up the Wall” pose will provide a restful position from which you can then transition to bed.
Another pose is supported Child’s Pose. Using a blanket under the knees and a yoga block under the head, come down to hands and knees and let your hips drop down to your heels. Then walk your arms forward until your head relaxes on the block.
In both of these poses, you might take 10 deep breaths and then head to bed. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a health professional before trying new poses.
2. Go to bed and wake up as close to the same time every day.
Our lifestyle can make this a real challenge, but it helps to aim for the same bedtime each night. Even on the weekends when you’re tempted to sleep in, try to get up around the same time as you do during the week. Your body will get used to the routine and over time, will resist you less when it’s time to sleep.
3. Turn off your television, phone, and computer at least a half-hour before bedtime.
Sleeping with your smartphone next to your bed may seem like a good idea, but when you check your email at 2 am and then can’t sleep because you’re obsessing about the content of a message, you’ll realize it was a bad idea. The same holds true for falling asleep to the sounds of the TV. Even if you think it gives you a distraction, it can still stimulate your nervous system to some degree. The idea is to let your body relax naturally so sleep can take over.
4. Monitor your caffeine and food intake.
Generally speaking, decaffeinated drinks are best, but everyone has a different tolerance for caffeine. If you think caffeine is affecting your sleep try eliminating caffeine in the afternoon. Light protein snacks and food that contains tryptophan are often suggested before bed. Options include bananas, or a little protein snack like almonds, hard boiled eggs, lean meat or cheese.
5. Set up your room and bed to encourage sleep.
Just as a clean desk is the sign of a clean mind, a clean bedroom will encourage your mind to relax so you can rest. Dirty clothes on the bed, laptop and cord wrapped up at your feet, an old worn comforter or papers piled on the bedside table all provide distraction and send a message that you really don’t value your sleep all that much. Make your bed as soon as you wake so you’ll have a clean area to return to at night. Take a few minutes to clean up and put away before sleep. This all will help relax your mind so you can rest.
6. Place a notepad on your bedside table for intrusive thoughts that disturb sleep.
It’s common to have racing thoughts while meditating as well as starting to fall asleep. Sometimes, it’s hard to let go of these thoughts and fall asleep because we’re afraid we’ll forget that important chore or call to make. Leave a notepad by your bed and write down anything that pops into your mind. Knowing it’s written down for the next day may help you rest more easily.
7. Lie with your eyes closed and slowly scan the body to release tension from crown to toes.
When you’re in bed on your back, close your eyes and start at the crown of your head as a point of focus. Start to scan your body with your mind, working your way down the front and back, all the way to the toes. If it helps, use a mantra like, “Releasing tension,” or “Relax and let go.” Even if it’s symbolic, it’s the start of using mindfulness to calm the mind. You might try not to get frustrated or judge the process. Just use the process as part of developing a nighttime routine.
8. Say a prayer and/or think of one positive thought from the day.
I’ve said the same prayer, in the same sing-song way from when I was three years old. It’s comforting because it reminds me of the happiness of being a kid. If you have a prayer you like to say, use that. If you have a mantra, or saying, that you can adopt, focus on something positive like, “Peace in my body, love in my heart.” Another good habit to develop is to acknowledge yourself for one good thing from the day.
By contributing writer, Karen Fabian, Certified Baptiste Yoga teacher, founder, www.barebonesyoga.com
