All About Sleep Meditation

All over the world, lives are getting hectic, and there is no time to relax. Work, family, and social commitments keep some people busy, while others try to make ends meet and sacrifice rest and sleep. For many people, there should have been more hours in the day and sleep is just a waste of time. And then there are others who would do anything to get more sleep at night.

Sleep disorders have been rising around the world. There is not one but several reasons behind the rise of sleep disorders in recent years. Most people do not have enough time for sufficient sleep. The average adult needs seven to eight hours of sleep every night, the kind of time not many people are willing to spend on sleep. Most people do not practice sleep hygiene either. They use electronics in bed, they consume alcohol or a heavy meal before bedtime, their bedrooms are cluttered, and a lot of space is taken up by the television. Given the lifestyle that most people have today, it isn’t surprising why sleep disorders have been on the rise.

A large number of people around the world have trouble falling asleep. While sleep disorders can come in various forms, the difficulty of falling asleep is the most common complaint. Also called insomnia, trouble falling asleep is a disorder that affects a large section of the global population, although most cases go undiagnosed.

There are medications that treat insomnia and other sleep disorders, but most people are willing to try a holistic treatment to get better sleep. And one of the methods to get deeper rest and relaxation is sleep meditation. Of late, sleep meditation has become popular in various parts of the world because it is supposed to help people reach the deepest state of relaxation, which makes it easy to get better sleep. In this post, we learn more about deep sleep meditation and how it can benefit those with sleep disorders.

What Is Sleep Meditation?

Most of us are familiar with meditation, which people do in order to feel relaxed and stress-free. Meditation can be done to achieve a number of things. Some people meditate to improve their concentration. Some people meditate to reduce stress. And there are some people who meditate in order to improve sleep. That’s right; the meditation that’s supposed to make falling asleep easier is called sleep meditation.

Even until a few years ago, deep sleep meditation wasn’t as popular as it is today. But with sleep disorders rising and people seeking a way out of all the stress, deep sleep meditation has become the chosen form of rest and relaxation for a large number of people. Falling asleep is hard not just for those with insomnia; the average person also has difficulty falling asleep at night because the mind refuses to settle and relax. And until the mind is relaxed, falling asleep is almost impossible.

That is what deep sleep meditation helps with. Simply put, deep sleep meditation is a practice that puts the mind at the greatest state of relaxation while being awake and alert at the same time. Keep in mind that sleep meditation is not sleeping. The mind is awake and alert when you practice sleep meditation but achieves a state of deep relaxation and peace. Deep sleep meditation is not just for those who want to make it easier to fall asleep at night. It is for anyone who wants to get rid of stress and achieve a relaxed mind and body holistically.

As we are aware, meditation takes a lot of practice. There are people who are never able to get the most out of meditation because their minds are too restless and stressed out. If you have a lot on your plate and your mind is never relaxed, then sleep meditation will take time and practice, but it will eventually work.

In Sanskrit, sleep meditation is called “Yoga Nidra”, which means yoga done for better sleep and relaxation. Meditation is to the mind what yoga is for the body. It isn’t without reason that you and meditation are said to be highly beneficial to your entire being.

How to Practice Sleep Meditation?

The best way to get into meditation and become better at it is by joining a class or hiring a life coach or trainer. Of course, this costs time and money, and not many are willing to spend either on meditation. But if you do, you will become better at meditation a lot easier because of the one-on-one attention you receive. Attending a class or workshop is even better because there are others like you, and it is fun to learn from one another.

However, if you are not willing to spend the time or money into taking meditation classes, you can get guided meditation CDs that you can listen to in the comfort of your home and practice sleep meditation. You can either purchase these CDs or download guided meditation tracks available online. Each session can range anywhere between 45 minutes and 1 hour, so it’s important that you are willing to set aside that time to practice sleep meditation.

It is important to remember that sleep meditation cannot be mastered in one day, especially for someone who is not familiar with meditation and has a very stressful life. As long as you cannot get your mind to settle down and relax, sleep meditation is not possible. Therefore when you begin to practice sleep meditation, your first game should be to calm and relax your mind. In fact, that should be the aim of any kind of meditation.

When practicing sleep meditation, there are lots of distractions that will get in the way. You will think about the day’s events and the worries of the next day. There will be environmental distractions to interrupt you. But when you practice sleep meditation, your aim is to rise above all of these things and help your mind and body achieve the ultimate state of relaxation. The more time you devote to practicing sleep meditation, the better you will get, and more easily, your mind will achieve a state of relaxation.

Types of Sleep Meditation

There are a few types of meditation techniques that people use to improve concentration and focus, relieve stress, and get better sleep. For improving the quality of sleep you get every night, there are three major types of sleep meditation techniques that you can practice.

Mindfulness Meditation

We tend to assume that most types of meditation require the mind to be free from all thoughts. But mindfulness meditation does not require the mind to be completely blank. Instead, it involves focusing your attention on every part of your body and each of your breaths. Mindfulness meditation involves shifting your attention from one part of your body to another, beginning from your toes and ending with your head. Although this sounds easy, most people have difficulty initially practicing mindfulness meditation because the thoughts running through their heads keep getting in the way. But the more time you spend practicing meditation, the better it will get eventually.

Concentration Meditation

As the name suggests, concentration meditation involves concentrating on a particular object or thought. This can be the flame of a candle or a particular thought or simply your breathing. What do you focus on a single thing, every other thought disappears. Many people also choose to repeat a mantra while practicing concentration meditation. Like all types of meditation, this also takes time to master. But the secret is to keep at it because practice is what improves the art of meditation.

Guided Meditation

This type of meditation is made for those who have a hard time practicing meditation on their own. Guided meditation either comes in the form of a CD or downloadable tracks or as mobile applications. Guided meditation involves listening to the voice of an instructor who teaches you how to perform each step of the technique. You simply listen to the voice and the instructions and follow accordingly.

Getting the Most Out of Sleep Meditation

When you practice sleep meditation, the timing is of vital importance. You have to be all set for bed because that’s how the brain knows it’s time to be relaxed. Simply lie in bed and listen to the audio, and then when you’re done meditating, you can turn it off and go to sleep. There should be nothing in between the meditation and actual sleep. You shouldn’t have to get up and get dressed for bed after the meditation. That will simply kill the process.

You also have to remember that meditation cannot be mastered in a day. You need to put in time, effort, and dedication to master it. No matter how long it takes, you must keep practicing it to reach perfection.