A good nights sleep is essential for our wellbeing. How much you need varies from person to person, yet the fact is we need a decent sleep of 7 to 8 hours daily.
In our busy lives, many of us have forgotten how it feels to be really well rested after a good sleep. Difficulty sleeping is something everyone faces at some point in his or her lives. It can be periodic, or for some a constant issue.
As more and more people complain of sleeping ailments, more and more remedies are popping up on the market. These can support you, however most of these are external, when in fact most of the time the issues lie within our mind. We can become so overwhelmed with stress, worries and anxieties of life that it jeopardises our much needed sleep time.
Living more mindfully and practicing regular meditation can assist with calming the mind, and in the process help you get a better nights sleep.
Mediation works by creating longer periods of space between thoughts. This minimises our desire to jump from thought to thought impulsively. When it becomes part of your daily practise the mind becomes familiar with this restful state and no longer tries to resist it.
The brain behaves similarly to a muscle. If it focuses too tightly for too long, the muscle has trouble releasing and can feel tight and sore. Meditation brings relaxation and consciousness to the brain by training the mind and helping it relax. A quieter mind is one better equip to deal with worries, and one able to fall asleep more quickly.
Meditation is not a way to put yourself to sleep, it sets the stage for sleep by giving your brain space to unwind and shut off distractions. Try this simple mediation practise before bed and see the difference it makes.
Here a simple exercise
Lie down on your back, legs straight and rest your hands on your belly. Close your eyes and start breathing deeply from your belly. Follow the movement in your belly closely with your hands. Start counting your breath: inhale deeply through your nose and notice the little pause at the end of your breath and fully exhale. Count one, repeat the deep inhale, notice the pause at the end of the inhalation,exhale and count two. Keep counting until you reach the number 10, then start again with number one. Try to keep this counting as your only focus. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, but don’t go with them. See them as a cloud, and let them pass by. Your task is to count the breaths, until you fall asleep.
Here’s another few ways to fall into a deep slumber:
- Do a whole body scan. Start first your skull, forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, nose, mouth, cheeks, jaws, chin. Scan your whole body and visualise relaxing all the muscles and tension in each area
- What happens if you let your thoughts take you away? But only your happy thoughts. See where you end up. It could be anywhere. A place you know very well, or a place you’ve never been. Let your worries be and enjoy the quietness.
- Keep your phone out of your bedroom, and don’t check it for an hour before going to bed. Always keep a notebook next to you, so when you have a thought you really can’t let go of write it down.
Want to experience how meditation can help you increase your wellbeing? The Silatha Journey is a great way to learn how to meditate and make it a habit in your daily life.
Join Silatha for inspirational tips, exercises, free meditations and more, by following us on: Instagram.com/SilathaJourney
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