Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being in the moment. It is often thought of as a form of relaxation or stress reduction, and can help you fall asleep if used as a bedtime ritual.
You first wake up or before going to bed, take 10 minutes to focus on your breathing and clear your mind. Take deep breaths and notice how they make you feel. If thoughts come up in this process, simply acknowledge them without judgment (this is called non-judgmental awareness) and let them go without focusing on them further than necessary.
Try not to judge yourself for any negative thoughts that may arise during this time period—a common fear among those who practice mindfulness meditation is that they’ll have a “bad” meditation session if their minds wander away from focusing on their breath and body sensations; however, when practiced regularly over time with patience and perseverance, this fear will subside completely!
Sleep Meditation: Deep Breathing
Deep breathing meditation is a simple, effective way to reduce stress and relax. This type of meditation involves focusing on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. By concentrating on how your chest expands with each inhalation, you can reduce anxiety by calming the mind as well as relaxing the muscles. If you cannot fall sleep easily maybe you should go for a healthier diet or just see a doctor for treatments.
There are several ways to do deep breathing meditation:
You can sit in a comfortable position with an erect spine and close your eyes. Take long slow breaths through the nose, inhaling for 5 seconds or more through each nostril while counting mentally. Then exhale slowly out of the mouth while counting mentally until completely empty of air (this should take between 7-10 seconds). Repeat this process at least 10 times per session; start with 3 sessions per day at first then work up to 5 sessions per day after 2 weeks if desired.
* A less formal approach can also be beneficial; simply focus on taking slow deep breaths while doing some other activity such as walking around outside or reading a book.* If possible avoid caffeine before meditating so that it does not interfere with sleep when trying to fall asleep later in the evening.*
Sleep Meditation: Guided
Guided meditation is a type of meditation where you are guided by another person or a recording. It can be helpful for people who are new to meditation, as it can help them learn how to focus their attention on their own thoughts and feelings. Guided meditations also tend to last longer than traditional forms of meditation, which may make them more effective when what you really need is sleep.
Guided meditations often involve guided imagery; this involves putting yourself in an imaginary situation that helps you relax and feel more at ease with your body. In some cases, these situations are very specific; for example, if you’re struggling with insomnia because of stress related problems at home or work then the guided imagery might take place in a relaxing setting like your favorite park or beach.
Sleep Meditation: Movement
If you’re looking for a way to incorporate movement in your meditation practice, then movement meditation is a great option. Movement meditation can be done while standing or sitting, and is usually done as part of a longer mindfulness practice. Some examples of movement meditations include walking slowly from room to room in your house or building up the energy to do something exciting such as jumping on the bed with your kids.
Some people find that gentle stretching before bed helps them sleep better. If you have ever been on vacation and felt like you were wide awake at 4am after staying out late dancing. Then you know how important it is not only that we get enough sleep but also that we get quality sleep!
If those aren’t working for you though (as they did not for me) then maybe consider incorporating some kind of mindful activity into your evening routine instead. Essentially anything that gets rid of any unnecessary tension would work here: yoga classes are one popular option but even just practicing deep breathing exercises (read about the most effective exercise methods) at home will help calm down both mind and body so they’re ready when lights go out later. Also avoid alcoholic beverages (except for mead tbh) and coffee or anything that might contain substances as they may keep you from sleeping.
Mindfulness Meditation for Those with Sleep Problems
When it comes to meditation and sleep, you have a variety of choices. You can choose the right type based on your preferences, goals and lifestyle. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep meditation. It all depends on the type of person you are, what you want to get out of it and how much time you have available. The best way to decide which method is right for your needs is by trying them out yourself!
Canadians aren’t getting enough sleep and meditation apps might be the answer. Among Canadian adults between ages of 18 and 64, sleep duration is roughly 7.9 hours per night with 77 per cent meeting the recommended sleep requirements put out by Health Canada. Among even older adults, the mean sleep duration is 8.1 hours per night, with 55 per cent meeting recommendations.
Further, half of Canadian adults experience difficulty in getting to or staying asleep, and one fifth of adults report that their sleep experience wasn’t particularly refreshing. Canadians are turning to meditation apps and other methods to help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleep and assistance with getting back to sleep. In response to a Statistics Canada survey regarding changing behaviour patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic, over one quarter of respondents (26.3 per cent) said they practiced meditation for health reasons.
