Mindfulness Meditation For Sleep

This article will discuss mindfulness meditation for sleep and the positive effects that practicing mindfulness is proven to have when dealing with the common condition of insomnia. We’ll start with some facts about the condition and then move on to a discussion about what mindfulness meditation is all about. Finally, we’ll discuss how mindfulness and meditation can be targeted to assist with specific problems such as sleeplessness or general lack of quality sleep.

Some facts about insomnia:

• Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, affecting some 30% of all adults
• More than 50% of people 55 years and older have sleep issues that respond well to mindfulness meditation
• Approximately 10% of adults suffer from long-lasting or chronic insomnia
• 35% of all adults report getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, well below the generally recommended 8 to 9 hours.

In short, if you have insomnia, you are not alone.

Mindfulness Meditation

Most stress and anxiety is rooted in thinking about past or future events, generally outside one’s control. Mindfulness is a meditation style that teaches you to shift your thinking away from the past and the future into the present moment. Mindfulness also encourages self-compassion, which is a critical determinant of self-happiness. Mindfulness encourages you to think about what is going on within and outside of you in the “here and now.” By focusing on simple bodily processes such as one’s breathing or heart rate, we are allowed to become present with ourselves as we are.

Despite foundations in Buddhist meditation, mindfulness is without dogma and requires no special equipment for participation. This makes mindfulness meditation highly accessible to people from all walks of life and people at all points on the socio-economic spectrum.

Regular adherence to a mindfulness practice yields the best results in terms of stress, anxiety and insomnia relief, with proponents recommending at least 20 minutes per day, 6 days per week.

Mindfulness Meditation for Sleep

The general premise behind mindfulness meditation for sleep programs is changing one’s relationship with the thoughts and feelings contributing to sleeplessness. The important leap occurs when people let go of their desire to clear or change worrying thoughts and instead practice accepting and observing those thoughts in a bid to let them go naturally. More in-depth programs will also discuss supplemental ways to improve sleep, such as sleep preparation and hygiene, which are important aspects of the overall sleep experience.

Among the numerous benefits of mindfulness meditation for sleep, effective programs will help you:

• Increase your levels of melatonin, the hormone that directly controls your sleep-wake cycle
• Increase the level of serotonin, a precursor of melatonin
• Decrease levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”
• Reduce heart rate
• Decrease blood pressure

Key take-aways:

• The benefits of mindfulness meditation for sleep are supported by a large body of scientific evidence. Mindfulness meditation is proven to help most sufferers improve their quality and duration of sleep.
• For mindfulness to be beneficial, it must be practiced regularly, with the ideal being at least 20 minutes per day.

The Fuzing App is totally free and provides meditation sessions from beginner to advanced. If you’re having difficulty with sleep and are new to mindfulness meditation, then try the “7 Days of Mindfulness Meditation for Sleep” series, which will introduce you to the concepts surrounding mindfulness meditation as it applies to insomnia. You may also find our Binaural Beats for Sleep helpful.