How A Bedtime Meditation Can Help You Sleep
About one-third of U.S. adults do not get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Falling short on sleep can negatively impact a person's physical and mental health and even lead to a shorter lifespan. For these reasons, many people look for ways to sleep longer or improve their sleep quality.
Research suggests that mindfulness meditation is one way a person can improve their sleep. At first glance, people may wonder how a bedtime meditation could have such a positive impact. We explore the mechanisms by which meditation for sleep can help you rest better when bedtime rolls around, including promoting relaxation, alleviating muscle tension, and decreasing inflammation. However, if meditation on its own isn’t enough to help you sleep, consider consulting your doctor and a licensed therapist for further insight and guidance.
Promoting relaxation
While there are multiple ways in which meditation appears to help people sleep, almost all of them relate to relaxation in some way. When a person is stressed, the sympathetic nervous system tends to be activated. This nervous system state is not conducive to good sleep since it prepares the body to either fight or run away from a threat (the “fight-or-flight” response).
Meditation can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can be said to counterbalance the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic response is often referred to as the "rest-and-digest" response. When this system is activated, a person is generally no longer stressed and ready to face a threat. Instead, they may sense they are safe enough to let their guard down and recover through needed sleep.
To make bedtime meditation more relaxing, consider doing it at night before bed while in a comfortable position. Some people prefer meditating while sitting in a chair or on a meditation cushion, but many enjoy performing a sleep meditation while lying in bed, so as they relax, they can stay put and fall asleep where they are instead of having to move to another position or location for sleep.
Slowing breathing
Many types of meditation involve taking deep breaths with long exhales. Slowing down one's breathing and extending the length of exhales are other ways in which a person can promote relaxation and ready the body for sleep. Just as the mind sends messages that can impact the breath, the breath can also impact the body and mind. Slower breathing usually sends a message of safety and balance to the body. When a person breathes more slowly, their parasympathetic nervous system may be activated. However, the way the breath and the nervous system interact can be complex.
Reducing stress and worry
Different types of sleep meditation may take a person's mind off their worries in different ways. Silent, zen-style meditation usually involves noticing thoughts and then letting them go without reacting to them. Meanwhile, mantra meditation typically involves repeating a short word or phrase silently or aloud, which can have a calming effect. When a person focuses on a mantra, they usually are not able to also focus on their worries. Guided meditations or visualizations normally involve listening to someone else describe a calming scenario that may take an individual’s mind off their concerns.
Alleviating muscle tension
Meditation often reduces muscle tension, which can promote relaxation and, by extension, sleep. Some guided meditations, like a body scan or yoga nidra, tend to be particularly good at relaxing the muscles. These meditations usually involve listening to a recording that walks a person through focusing on their entire body, part by part. Often, these meditations begin with a focus on the crown of the head and end with a focus on the soles of the feet, but they can vary. Yoga nidra may improve sleep in people with chronic insomnia.
Sometimes, guided body scan meditations are paired with a technique called progressive muscle relaxation, which can also reduce muscle tension. Progressive muscle relaxation generally involves intentionally tensing each muscle as much as possible, one at a time, then simultaneously relaxing all muscles at once. A progressive muscle relaxation recording may take a person through this process once, twice, or even three times. A study of people with COVID-19 found that progressive muscle relaxation often improved sleep quality.
Finally, movement meditations, like gentle yoga or qigong, may also reduce muscle tension with gentle movement. Unlike other forms of meditation, these usually cannot be done while lying flat on one's back in bed. Instead, they may involve slowly and smoothly taking different postures and forms that calm rather than activate the body. Multiple studies have found that gentle yoga and qigong can reduce pain, decrease stress, and improve sleep.
Lessening pain
Dozens of studies have found that meditation can reduce the intensity of pain. If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep due to physical pain, meditation might help. As meditating reduces pain, falling asleep often becomes easier.
That said, meditation may not reduce all types of pain or alleviate pain for all people. If you have persistent pain, be sure to see a doctor to identify its cause, rather than using meditation as a substitute for medical care.
Decreasing inflammation
There's limited research suggesting that meditation can reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation can be seen as a natural bodily response intended to promote healing from illness and injury. However, when a person's body stays in an inflammatory state for too long, the inflammation usually stops being helpful and begins to increase the risk of a wide variety of negative outcomes, including physical and mental illness.
Sleep and inflammation appear to have a bidirectional relationship, which generally means that falling short on sleep can increase inflammation, and increased inflammation can worsen sleep quality. While more research is likely needed to understand the relationship between meditation and inflammation, if meditation does reduce inflammation, it could theoretically improve their sleep as well.
Remote therapy for sleep
While meditation can be a useful tool that helps many people fall asleep more easily, some people may need more help with sleep beyond meditation. Talk therapy may be one option. Attending therapy remotely could be particularly helpful since it typically provides the option of meeting from the comfort of your chosen location instead of requiring you to travel somewhere. BetterHelp is a remote therapy platform that can connect you with a therapist with a specialization matching your unique needs.
A 2024 research study looked at 106 older adult veterans with chronic insomnia. Five sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) typically improved their symptoms by increasing sleep quality and reducing fatigue, daytime tiredness, and pain. The study participants who had chronic pain usually experienced even greater improvement than those without pain, showing that CBT-I may not only be useful for people with insomnia, but it can also be beneficial for those with chronic pain.
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