Article: Mindfulness Meditation to Improve Your Sleep
You will fall asleep easier if you can release the stress of the day and clear your mind of the day’s issues. Meditation, “the practice of training your mind to focus on one thing at a time, and to be fully present in the moment,” can help you to do just that, according to Cornell Health. Meditation has other benefits including improving memory and attention and reducing anxiety and the occurrence of depression, according to UC Davis Health. It’s all positive.
Meditation can help you free your mind in preparation for sleep
The benefits of meditation include helping you to sleep better, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are many ways to meditate, including guided meditation and yoga. One type is mindfulness meditation in which you focus on the flow of your breath. It can be done in a manner, time, and place that works for you by following a few simple steps.
Step #1: Set aside some time to meditate
Ideally, you can find some time every day. Meditating in the morning is a good way to start the day and meditating in the evening is a good way to ease tension before bed. However, the best time is the time that works for you. Even a few minutes a day can be beneficial.
Step #2: Find a comfortable and quiet place
Get comfortable. If you’re sitting, be sure it’s in a supported and upright posture. You can certainly meditate while lying down if you can avoid falling asleep, unless that is your intention. A quiet spot without distractions will make it easier to focus.
Although we may think of meditating as done only while sitting or lying down with our eyes closed, you can meditate in a way that fits into your routine. That can mean walking or meditating through prayer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Repetitive movements such as walking may allow you “to focus your attention on the present moment, acknowledge thoughts and feelings as they arise and then to let them go out of your awareness,” according to Cornell Health.
Step #3: Close your eyes and focus on your other senses
With your eyes closed, you can tune into your other senses. Take notice of the parts of your body in contact with the floor, chair, or bed and what that touch feels like. Listen to the sounds around you. If the sounds enhance your meditation, that’s wonderful. You might consider soft music, natural sounds, or singing bowls to support your meditation process. If the sounds in your environment do not enhance your meditation, consider whether it is within your control to eliminate or to change these sounds. Concentrate on what you can taste and smell. Aromatherapy using essential oils such as lavender in a diffuser can be soothing. The goal is to connect with your senses as your body relaxes.
Step #4: Breathe
One way to get your mind and body ready for sleep is through focusing on your breathing. We’ve previously written about the 4-7-8 method, which, in the simplest terms, involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. For mindfulness meditation, you can simply breathe in and breathe out slowly and gently. The words “breathe in” and “breath out” can serve as a mantra to help you focus on your breathing, but you can also create your own mantra.
Step #5: Focus and refocus your mind
It’s natural to lose focus on your breath while your mind wanders to parts of your day or to your to-do list. That’s part of the process, learning how to gently refocus on your breathing. It takes practice, and perfection is not the goal.
There are tools that can help you to focus and refocus. One option is malas, which are strings of beads crafted from a variety of sources that can be used to count repetitions of your mantra. Thousands of years old and rooted in Hinduism and Buddhism, malas are similar to prayer beads used in various world religions. The benefit of malas need not end with your meditation. You can wear them as a necklace or around your wrist, “to remind yourself of your intention to have a calm mind, body, and spirit and to benefit others.” If you need support, you can find a variety of guided meditations online.
When you’re ready to finish your meditation, you can stop focusing on your mantra, gently open your eyes, and slowly get up. Take a moment to enjoy the relaxed feeling following mindfulness meditation as you begin another night of rejuvenating sleep.
-Team at down etc
Read more:
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