Best Sleep Meditation for Insomnia
Best Sleep Meditation for Insomnia
In this Blog I’m going to share the best and most effective sleep meditation techniques for insomnia.In fact, these are the exact tested meditation techniques that we have used to cure insomnia.
Our modern and hectic lifestyle has altered our sleep patterns. Turning many of us into daytime zombies.After all, day activities tendency of the mind is to get engaged in thoughts is strongest at bedtime.
The question is: how we can get the quality sleep at night? Well that’s where meditation comes to the rescue! In this ultimate guide you will learn the most effective sleep meditation techniques.
Let’s dive into the topic..
Table of Contents
What is Sleep Meditation?
Sleep Meditation is a specific tool for a modern man that offers a natural sleep aid all on its own. Allowing us to let go of the day so that we can rest the mind while resting the body.
The sleep deprivation epidemic
Sleep is a necessary part of the daily routine. Getting a night of quality sleep is essential for survival as necessary as food and water.
But, in modern day life, most of the people are experiencing sleeping problems. Major reasons for a sleep disorder are stress, hectic routines & bad lifestyle.
Sleeping problems have a negative impact on energy and mood. Then, it affects concentration and complete health (Physical, mental & emotional) of a being. But, quality sleep makes us feel energetic, positive and alert.
A healthy adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep for the proper functioning of the body and brain. As per the Princess Cruises’ report, Over 48% of adults worldwide sleep fewer than 7 hours nightly.
What are the causes of sleep deprivation?
Excessive use of technology before sleeping
- Watching TV, using cell phones, playing video games, using computers, and more.
Following the trend of hyperactive mindset
- People of 21st century believe that sleeping is a waste of time. “More you sleep less productive you are.”
Poor sleep hygiene
- Consumption of coffee or smoking cigarettes before bedtime. It stimulates the nervous system and makes sleep difficult.
Stress in Life
- Stress related to work, school, health, finances or relation & family. Stress can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep.
Travel or Work schedule
- People working in different time shift have irregular sleep-wake cycles. Frequent travellers (for example, airline crew) also tend to have erratic sleeping patterns.
Sleep disorder
- Sleep apnea, snoring, and periodic limb movement (Restless legs syndrome) disorder. These all can disturb the person’s sleep many times during the night.
Scientific Research on Sleep Meditation
A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) stated that mindfulness meditation improves sleep quality among older adults with sleep disturbances.
This study included 49 participants with an average age of 66, divided into two groups. The first group experienced mindfulness meditation while the other group was taught sleep education.
Compared with the people of the sleep education group, the mindfulness meditation group showed significant improvements. People practicing meditation experienced less insomnia, fatigue, and depression.
What is the Importance of Sleep Meditation?
Sleep meditation is a powerful tool that can help us fall asleep and have a night of quality sleep.
- Sleep meditation helps lower the heart rate by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. It encourages slower breathing, thus, increasing the quality of night’s sleep.
- Sleep meditation clams the hyperactive chattering mind, relax the body muscles.
- Sleep meditation helps to transform the brain wave frequencies. It changes brain frequencies from a beta state to alpha, delta & theta state. Thus reducing your stress/anxiety associated beta brain waves.
- Sleep meditation helps to regularize sleep cycles. Both REM (Rapid eye movement) and NREM. (Non-Rapid Eye Movement)
- Sleep meditation helps to revitalize life energy. Most importantly, the centres of brain and heart calm down. Thus, life energy functions from the navel centre.
Highly Effective Sleep Meditations for Insomnia
Below mentioned sleep meditation techniques may look unorthodox, but, these are effective. We have practiced all these sleep meditation on the group of people for three months.
After that, we received positive results in the sleep quality, stress level and anxiety of the participants. I also used some of these sleep meditation before going to sleep to make my sleep meditative and deep.
Laughter Meditation
Laughter Meditation is the purest kind of laughter with a cathartic experience. Moreover, laughter opens up the layers of your subconscious mind.
Sit in any comfortable posture and start giggling. Sooner you will experience that laughter starts flowing from within.
You can also practice laughter meditation in a group (conference call/Skype) or alone. If you find difficulty in laughing then follow the mantra “Fake it until you make it”
Practice laughter meditation 10-15 minutes followed by silent sitting meditation. Then immediately go to sleep.
It is better to practice Silent sitting meditation after laughter meditation. It helps to normalize our systems and allow relaxation. This is one of my favorite sleep meditation and I often end my day with Laughter Meditation.
Benefits: Laughter Meditation gives instant relief from pent up emotions. It Calms your nervous system, reduces stress. Further, it relaxes the muscles of the body and mind becomes silent.
Laughter has countless benefits, to know more about benefits of laughter read our article: Scientifically Proven Benefits of Laughter Yoga
Gibberish Meditation
Gibberish is a language of sounds without sense and meaning. You can express different emotions through gibberish like happiness, anger, sadness, grief, romance.
Sit in a comfortable posture then, close your eyes and start making nonsense sounds. Any sounds or words, anything complete nonsense. Speak any language that you don’t know.
You can also beat a pillow to express your negative emotions. Practice for 10-15 minutes followed by silent sitting meditation. Then immediately go to sleep. In some of the hectic days I use Gibberish Meditation to let go negative thoughts and emotions, it has always helped me relax.
Benefits: Gibberish Meditation helps to gain instant relief from suppressed emotions. So, you become calm, relaxed, and creative.
Humming Meditation
Sit in a comfortable posture, with a straight spine, shoulders relaxed & eyes closed. Further, to enhance the effect of meditation, close your ears using ear plugs.
Then, close your lips and inhale through the nostrils. During the exhale makes a humming sound like the buzz of a bee. (Make Humming sound by constricting the epiglottis).
Practice for 10-15 minutes followed by silent sitting meditation. Then immediately go to sleep.
Benefits: Humming Meditation gives instant relief from tension anger, anxiety. Further, it Calms your nervous system as it activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It helps in insomnia or restless sleep patterns, so perfect for inducing deep sleep.
Extra Tips to Improve Sleep
- Take a Relaxing Bath or shower.
- Don’t Eat Late in the Evening.
- Avoid Heavy Meals.
- Don’t consume caffeine late in the day.
- Regular Exercise
- Try to Sleep and Wake at Consistent Times
- Optimize your bedroom – This includes bedroom temperature, noise, external lights, bed & pillow.
What are the Benefits of Sleep Meditation?
- Sleep meditation improves the Quality of Sle
- Helps relieve stress and further, improve the immune system.
- Boosts productivity by Improving Brain Functioning (mental clarity and memory)
- Encourages better eating habits and weight management.
- Sleep meditation also helps in spiritual development.
FAQ about Sleep meditation
Is sleep a form of meditation?
No there is a lot of difference between sleep and meditation. Meditation associates with awareness, alertness whereas in sleep you lose the awareness. But Yoga Nidra is a technique in which one can watch the sensations of the body, thought while sleeping.
Should I meditate before sleep?
Yes, we recommend you to do sleep meditation before going to sleep. Sleep meditation provides depth in sleep. Moreover, it relaxes the mind and body. It’s the best way to let go of the negative thought of the day.
What is the other type of sleep meditation techniques?
Different types of sleep meditation techniques to practice before sleeping:
- Breathing Exercise
- Counting Inhalation & Exhalations
- Mindful body scan
- Visualization Technique
Can I practice self-hypnosis after sleep meditation?
Yes, the best time to practice self-hypnosis is after sleep meditation. After sleep meditation body and mind are in a relaxed state. So, it is easy to program the subconscious mind with positive affirmations.
Conclusion
I hope you liked this post. Now I will like to hear from you.What did you think of today’s post? Or maybe you have a question about something you read.
Let me know by leaving a comment below.
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About the Author: Sukhvinder Singh Chaitanya
Sukhvinder Singh (Chaitanya) is an experienced yoga teacher. (ERYT-500 & YACEP with 20,000+ hours of teaching experience) He is a master yoga teacher in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Ayurveda & Laughter Yoga. He has been teaching yoga, laughter yoga & meditation all across the globe in teacher training programs, workshops & corporate sector for almost 10 years. He's the founder and director of the Yoga Chaitanya International Institute, a leading Yoga Teacher Training school in the world. He shares his expertise in his blogs and his YouTube Channels.
2 thoughts on “Best Sleep Meditation for Insomnia”
Nice blog !! Please keep on providing such kind of valuable information for life enhancement.
Thanks !! we will be posting such content on a regular basis.