Introduction to Mindfulness and Sleep
If you’ve ever crawled under the covers worrying about a problem or a long to-do list, you know those racing thoughts may rob you of a good night’s sleep. Sleep disturbances, like having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, affect millions of Americans. The daytime sleepiness that follows can leave you feeling lousy and sap your productivity, and it may even harm your health.
How Mindfulness Meditation Can Help
A small study suggests that mindfulness meditation — a mind-calming practice that focuses on breathing and awareness of the present moment — can help improve sleep quality. The study published in JAMA Internal Medicine included 49 middle-aged and older adults who had trouble sleeping. Half completed a mindfulness awareness program that taught them meditation and other exercises designed to help them focus on "moment-by-moment experiences, thoughts, and emotions." The other half completed a sleep education class that taught them ways to improve their sleep habits.
Comparison of Mindfulness and Sleep Education
Both groups met six times, once a week for two hours. Compared with the people in the sleep education group, those in the mindfulness group had less insomnia, fatigue, and depression at the end of the six sessions. This shows that mindfulness meditation can be an effective way to improve sleep quality and reduce stress-related ailments.
Understanding the Relaxation Response
The relaxation response, a term coined by Dr. Herbert Benson, is a deep physiological shift in the body that’s the opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response can help ease many stress-related ailments, including depression, pain, and high blood pressure. For many people, sleep disorders are closely tied to stress, says Dr. Benson. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on your breathing and then bringing your mind’s attention to the present without drifting into concerns about the past or future.
Practicing Mindfulness Meditation
Dr. Benson recommends practicing mindfulness during the day, ideally for 20 minutes. The idea is to create a reflex to more easily bring forth a sense of relaxation. That way, it’s easier to evoke the relaxation response at night when you can’t sleep. To practice mindfulness meditation, follow these steps:
Step 1: Choose a Calming Focus
Good examples are your breath, a sound ("Om"), a short prayer, a positive word (such as "relax" or "peace"), or a phrase ("breathing in calm, breathing out tension"; "I am relaxed"). If you choose a sound, repeat it aloud or silently as you inhale or exhale.
Step 2: Let Go and Relax
Don’t worry about how you’re doing. When you notice your mind has wandered, simply take a deep breath or say to yourself "thinking, thinking" and gently return your attention to your chosen focus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mindfulness meditation can be a powerful tool to improve sleep quality and reduce stress-related ailments. By practicing mindfulness meditation during the day, you can create a reflex to more easily bring forth a sense of relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep at night. Remember to choose a calming focus and let go of distracting thoughts, and you’ll be on your way to a better night’s sleep. With regular practice, you can improve your overall health and well-being, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.