Sleep Meditation: How It Helps You Get Better Sleep

Tired of lying in bed wide awake, staring at the ceiling, wishing for sleep to take over? One popular way that has helped many people fall asleep faster and get deeper and more restorative sleep is sleep meditation.

Let’s explore the benefits of sleep meditation and some free audios to help you drift off effortlessly tonight!

What is Sleep Meditation?

Sleep meditation is a practice or tool for relaxing the mind and preparing for sleep. It is especially useful for those who tend to experience anxiety or stress before going to bed or suffer from insomnia [1].

Practicing it can make it easier for those who experience difficulty falling asleep to fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer at night.

Some common types of meditation include:

• Visualization
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Guided Meditation
• Bodyscan Meditation
• Breathwork

Benefits of Sleep Meditation

Research shows that regularly practicing meditation can lead to improved sleep quality and reduce sleep disturbances.

Sleep disturbances and poor sleep affect up to 10-25% of the general adult population. When you don’t get enough sleep, it leads to sleep deprivation. Constantly being sleep-deprived increases the risks of cognitive impairment, mood disorders, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

For example, a 2018 study that analyzed 18 randomized controlled trials found that there was a moderate strength of evidence to support mindfulness meditation interventions being effective in improving sleep quality and reducing sleep disturbances [2].

Another study also found that mindfulness meditation helped to significantly improve symptoms of insomnia, symptoms of depression, fatigue, and overall sleep quality of older adults with frequent sleep disturbances [3].

Thus, this shows how beneficial meditation can be for us. However, determining the full extent of benefits still requires more research.

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How To Ensure Effectiveness of Meditation

To ensure that your meditation session is effective, you need to consider the environment that you are in and whether it is conducive for meditating.

Here are some basic steps to help you get started:

1. First, find a quiet and comfortable space so that you will not be disturbed. It should be free from any potential distractions or disruptions.
2. Next, you want to dim the lights and use any relaxing background music if needed. Make yourself comfortable by sitting down or lying in bed.
3. Focus on your breathing by taking deep inhales and exhales until you are in a relaxed state. You may use visualization techniques or mantras to help you bring attention to your breaths.
4. If you meditating for the first time, you can consider using guided sleep meditation or sleep meditation music to guide you through the session.

The most important thing to remember is to stay consistent. Make it a part of your bedtime routine and practice it consistently to experience deeper sleep and long-term benefits for your health.

Free Sleep Meditation Audios and Videos

Here are also some additional sleep meditation resources that can be found on the ShutEye® app and ShutEye’s YouTube channel if you need some inspiration or ideas on how to start meditating:

1. Sleepy River Visualization Meditation

Drift into deep relaxation with this Sleepy River Visualization Meditation. Visualize the gentle flow of a peaceful river; let it wash away any stress and guide you into a restful and restorative sleep.

2. Meditation to Fall Asleep Naturally

This meditation focuses on helping you fall asleep faster at night. In this meditation, you will focus your attention and awareness on your surroundings and how your body is feeling at that time. It is 5 minutes long and accompanied by a piece of relaxing music in the background.

3. Meditation to Induce Deep Sleep

This is a guided meditation to help you fall into a deep sleep. As you settle into a comfortable position, allow your body to relax and release any tension from the day. This meditation lasts for 5 minutes, guiding you through the process of how to relax your muscles.

4. 20-Min Guided Meditation for Sleep: Running River Visualization

To listen to more meditation audios, download the ShutEye® app today! ShutEye® offers a wide collection of meditation audios, white noise, and bedtime stories to help you sleep better at night.

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Other Tips for Improving Sleep

Besides incorporating meditation into your nightly routine, there are also a bunch of other sleep tips that can help you improve your sleep patterns.

Here are some common ones:

• Establish a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine to regulate your body’s internal clock.
• Avoid stimulating activities and electronics before bedtime, and instead, opt for relaxing activities like reading or doing light stretches.
• Create a comfortable sleep environment by ensuring that it is dark, cool, and quiet. Consider using sleep accessories such as a white noise machine or a sleep mask.

Conclusion

Sleep problems are common among the general population. It is often a result of anxiety, stress, or poor sleep habits. Meditation can be beneficial in helping to improve sleep disturbances, leading to better sleep quality.

Experience a more restful sleep today with the ShutEye® app. ShutEye® is a sleep tracking app that offers over 100+ soothing meditation audios, binaural beats, white noise, and bedtime stories for you to choose from. Try it today for FREE!

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