If you’re one of those who finds it hard to switch off their mind along with the light when you hit the sack, you’re not alone. With a million thoughts buzzing through our minds, it is difficult to switch off and get a restful night’s sleep. That’s where sleep meditation comes in. It is one of the best ways to overcome restlessness, quiet your mind and sleep well. 

It’s no secret meditation provides a range of benefits. From inducing immense peace and calm, to restoring balance and releasing stress, the practice is deeply relaxing. When it comes to sleep, many studies have shown how meditation for sleep can deepen your sleep even if you don’t have issues sleeping. With time you will begin to feel more rested and refreshed in the morning. The best part? Meditation to fall asleep is something you can do at almost any time of the day, from anywhere. All you need in 10-20 minutes. 

Meditation techniques draw on the mind and body to provide a state of relaxation. Statistics show one in six American adults are now practicing meditation, showing how popular the practice is becoming. Furthermore, many researchers are now looking at meditation as a potential treatment for insomnia. Its low-risk, easy-to-access features make it a popular choice for many who cannot access expensive treatment alternatives like therapy or medication. 35-50% of adults worldwide regularly experience insomnia-like symptoms. In fact, studies have shown bedtime meditation as being extremely helpful for those struggling with insomnia and other sleep disorders. 

The main reason behind this is stress. Stress, anxiety and tension make it difficult to let go out, switch off and fall asleep. Stress can even worsen existing sleep issues, among other conditions. Let’s explore how meditation can help reduce difficult sleeping and help achieve a deep, restful night’s sleep. 

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Benefits of meditation for sleep 

Whether you struggle to get sound sleep everyday or a few times a week, meditation can help you. Sometimes, all you need is making changes to your daily routine by including a little more self-care. This could mean time for a one-hour yoga session, meditation before bedtime, spending a little time in nature, reading, etc. Adding the best sleep meditation to your routine will benefit you in the following ways: 

Mental health

meditation makes the mind stronger, balanced and peaceful. It can relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. When the mind is in such a positive state of being, you fall asleep faster and also get very restful sleep. 

Pain management

‍Meditation, and especially yoga nidra (guided relaxation), can help you reduce pain. For many chronic pain interferes with healthy sleep patterns. A study showed that meditation helps with pain relief without engaging the brain's naturally occurring opioid chemicals. Another study on people with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, showed that meditation reduced their anger and worry about their condition. Meditation works on the subconscious mind as well, relieving one of pre-existing notions of pain. 

Prepares the body for sleep

‍After a long day of hard work, your body needs to be told it’s time to relax, unwind and rest. Meditating just before bedtime slows down your heart rate and lowers cortisol levels (the stress hormone). This activates the body’s rest and digest response by balancing the parasympathetic nervous system, which naturally helps you relax and sleep. Meditation can also cause you to have theta brainwaves, the state your brain enters when you are falling asleep.

Helps you let go of negative habits

Negative habits like smoking, consuming alcohol before bedtime, eating late, etc. interfere with your sleep patterns. Regular meditation practice helps you achieve an inner sense of peace, willpower and resistance to let go of habits that don’t serve you. Imagine if you quit smoking or eat a light dinner consisting of soup and salads instead of a heavy plate of pasta before bedtime? Over time, your body becomes healthier and your blood pressure reduces. You will also start managing stress, anxiety and depression-like symptoms more effectively. In the long run, these are aspects that help you sleep better. 

By relaxing your body and brain, it’s easier to quiet the distracting thoughts that keep your mind buzzing. Meditation increases the natural melatonin levels to help with more restful sleep. Furthermore, meditation is shown to have benefits on patients with mental health disorders who may experience insomnia as a symptom. By using meditation to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, many have an easier time falling and staying asleep. Of course, meditation may not be the only solution if you have serious sleeping disorders or underlying conditions affecting your sleep. In such cases, a complete treatment plan will be necessary. 

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What are the risk factors of meditation? 

Meditation is one practice that is extremely low-risk. It is typically safe for all. However, if you are suffering from a history or mental illness or several mental health conditions, meditation may worsen or trigger unwanted side effects such as increased anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, dizziness, mood swings, etc. While this is rare, it is best to be informed. 

From a physical standpoint, certain meditation poses might be hard to achieve (lotus pose). In this case sit in the easy pose with your legs folded or in a half lotus pose. Meditation also may not cure sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea. For such conditions, you will need a complete yoga practice to work on different aspects causing these conditions. 

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What happens when you meditate 

In a 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed how mindfulness meditation affected 49 adults with moderate sleep issues and enabled fewer insomnia symptoms and less daytime fatigue. It was understood meditation improves the relaxation response and improves control of the autonomic nervous system, which reduces how easily you’re awakened.

Furthermore, when you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body. Meditation increases melatonin, the sleep hormone and serotonin, the precursor of melatonin. It also reduces the heart rate, decreases blood pressure and activates parts of the brain that control sleep. Over the long term, the relaxation response reduces stress-related inflammation and oxidative stress and improves insulin resistance. In the early stages of sleep, the body experiences similar changes as it does during meditation. Thus, meditation promotes sleep by initiating these changes. 

Meditation, as we  now know, brings about the relaxation response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the opposite of the stress response. When we are mentally unstable due to stress, depression or anxiety, the brain stays wired and we find it harder to sleep. Over time, we associate bedtime with worries about not being able to sleep. 

Now if we add meditation to our routine, there is a state of relaxation, acceptance and awareness that is activated which reduces this psychological distress and unease. Researchers have also theorized that mindfulness may improve sleep quality by supplying patients with the mental resources to calm down the nervous system in preparation for sleep.

Types of meditation for better sleep 

Best sleep meditation practices to do before bedtime include: 

Yoga nidra (guided relaxation)

Yoga Nidra is a guided relaxation technique which works on relaxing different parts of the body, especially the brain and nervous system. It has many therapeutic applications, and is useful for both acute and chronic conditions, stress and anxiety related mental disorders, etc. In fact, many studies have been performed on its psychological impact as well. During the practice, while it may appear we are sleeping, our mind is actually in a deep state of awareness.  It has an immense impact on the subconscious mind, and is therefore, really helpful in letting go of thoughts, stressors and tension of the day. You can practice this from a guided recording by a teacher. 

Trataka meditation

Originally a cleansing technique that does wonders for the eyes, Trataka means to gaze steadily. This is called Bahiranga (external) Trataka, is simpler to practice because you just have to gaze at an object or symbol (the most suitable is a candle flame). However, antaranga (internal) Trataka involves clear and stable inner visualization of an object. This is best practiced under the guidance of a teacher. It can be done at any time, but is more effective on an empty stomach. Trataka is known to be extremely therapeutic for depression, insomnia, allergies, stress and anxiety. Its most important effect is on ajna chakra (eyebrow center) and the brain. It makes the mind completely focused, resulting in a ‘blanking out’ of visual perception, and thus, the central nervous system begins to function in isolation

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Sleep meditation practices to do any time during the day

Body scan meditation

‍Also known as body relaxation or guided relaxation (Yoga Nidra), this is a wonderful practice to release tension from various parts of the body and to relax the mind. This process taps into the subconscious, increasing your awareness and ability to let go of the events and thoughts from the day. In this process, you focus on different body parts, from toes to head. This is also a guided practice and as you move from one part to the next, keep noticing how you are feeling. What sensations are you noticing? Do you feel tension or pain in a specific place? Do you find your mind wandering back to a recurring topic? Don’t get caught up in your thoughts or sensations, but acknowledge its presence and simply be aware of how it feels. With practice, this will become easier to do. 

Breath meditation

‍This practice includes a few breathing techniques which helps concentrate the mind. Also best done under guidance, you will be asked to breathe slowly, deeply, and count your breaths. You might also be asked to focus on the subtle sound of breath - ‘So’ when you breathe in, and ‘Hum’ when you breathe out. This is also called “So-hum meditation“. In breath meditation, you are only focusing on your breath, drawing your mind away from any other thoughts. This meditation makes you more mindful of the present, helps let go of events, thoughts and emotions from the day and enables you to relax and sleep better.

Guided meditation

‍Guided meditation is the practice of listening to a teacher live or a pre-recorded audio clip of someone leading you through the meditation process. The teacher may talk you through the session where you will be asked to become aware of your body, the room and space you are in, your breath, etc. Sometimes, you might be guided through visuals as well where you will be asked to visualize images or sounds. It is helpful for those who struggle to keep their mind focused on relaxing. Your mind might wander initially. Slowly, keep drawing your focus back to what the teacher is saying or recording. This can be practiced before sleeping too to focus and relax your mind. It can also be done at the end of your work day or when you have any downtime.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present state of your mind and body. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that mindfulness meditation is an effective way of treating insomnia in older adults. It is often practiced by focusing on the breath. Start by closing your eyes, breathing slowly and bringing awareness to your breath. Slowly, focus on each part of the body, from head to toe and toe to head. Pay attention to any sensations in your body, your breath, and how you are feeling. During this as well your mind might wander, but keep bringing it back to your breath. This practice brings you to the present and increases your consciousness. Throughout the practice don’t judge your thoughts, simply witness them as if you are a spectator.  

Tips for bedtime meditation

1. Set up the right environment. Ensure your space is calm, quiet and remove all distractions. 
2. Choose a meditation that works for you. Initially, it might help trying different techniques. But once you know what is helping you sleep better, try to practice that every time. 
3. Be patient with yourself. You might feel restless or uneasy in the beginning. But give it a few days and once you begin to see the benefits you will have a better experience. 
4. If you find yourself getting distracted, simply draw your attention back to your breath. 

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Concluding thoughts

When practiced regularly and in the right way, sleep meditation is a powerful tool. If you are struggling with sleep disorders like insomnia as well, this practice will go in a long way in helping you manage your condition. With so many stressors today, restful, sound sleep might be hard to achieve for many people. Give yourself time before you see the improvements in sleep quality with your meditation practice. Changing your routine to sleep a little earlier, wake up earlier, add physical activities like yoga and walking to your day will also help.