Sleep meditation (meditating in bed with the goal of falling asleep) is a simple yet effective method that experts readily recommend to induce more restful sleep. Meditation can be a bit daunting for those who don’t regularly set aside time to breathe deeply and relax the mind. However, if you can get into the right mental state, the impact on your sleep cycle can be immense. Below, we’ll share the types of meditation experts recommend for better sleep, as well as some tips for trying some sleep meditations the next time you’re struggling to fall asleep.
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How can meditation help you sleep?
Meditation may have recently become fashionable in the Western world, but its origins date back to the Vedic period in ancient India. The Vedas are Sanskrit texts written around 1500-1200 BCE that later became the foundation of Hinduism. Although meditation has spiritual roots, it has since been adopted by many people as a secular part of their wellness routine, for both physical and mental health benefits.
“Meditation can help you deal with negative emotions and become more patient, present, and accepting.” —Renee Penghoff, MSSA, LSW, A Guide to Mindfulness and Meditation
Some of the most notable benefits of meditation are: anxiety, stress, depression,Furthermore Physical pain” explains Renee Penghoff, MSSA, LSW, a licensed social worker and mindfulness and meditation guide. Conscious Connection and Wellness“Meditation can help you deal with negative emotions and become more patient, present, and accepting,” Penghoff says. “It can strengthen areas of the brain that help you deal with negative emotions and become more present and accepting.” Related to memory Helps in self-awareness and self-knowledge; Recovery from addiction.”
These mental health benefits are crucial when it comes to getting enough sleep, as sleep and mental health are closely related. Poor sleep can lead to poor mental health and vice versa. A 2021 study found that people with insomnia are 10 and 17 times more likely, respectively, to experience depression or anxiety compared to those without insomnia. At the same time, people with anxiety and depression are much more likely to report sleep problems. Conversely, improving the quality of your sleep has been shown to significantly improve your mental health.
Meditation sort of kills two birds with one stone here: not only does it directly help you sleep better, it also has a positive impact on your mental health, which may lead to better sleep.
Meditation can be especially effective when it’s part of a pre-bedtime relaxation routine, says Anita Shergikar, M.D., clinical professor of sleep medicine and neurology at the University of Michigan and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Meditation calms the mind and reduces adrenaline levels, which benefits both the cognitive and autonomic levels. Research has shown that meditation can help lower heart rate and blood pressure, and there is also data to suggest that meditation may help resolve sleep disorders.”
“This sedative effect is why beginner meditators often fall asleep unintentionally while meditating,” Penghoff says. Research has shown that long-term meditators have higher levels of melatonin and its precursor, serotonin, two neurochemicals that play key roles in determining a person’s mood and the quality of their sleep.
The benefits of meditation for sleep
Below is a brief overview of some of the potential benefits of meditation for sleep:
- Reduces stress, anxiety and depression
- Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
- Pain relief
- Decreased adrenaline levels
- Increased melatonin and serotonin levels
What type of meditation is good for sleep?
Any type of meditation can have the above-mentioned benefits, including improving the quality of your sleep, whether you do it early in the morning or while winding down in the evening, but sleep meditation is most commonly done while you’re lying in bed trying to actually fall asleep.
There are many different ways to meditate, and the same techniques won’t work for everyone, says Dr. Shergikar. You might need to combine multiple methods, depending on the night, she adds. One overarching piece of advice from Dr. Penghoff is to choose a meditation designed specifically for sleep. After all, you can find a meditation for whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s dealing with a breakup, dealing with work tension, or getting energized before a workout. “So if you’re looking to help yourself fall asleep, I recommend using a specific sleep meditation,” she says.
TL;DR: All kinds of meditation are good for sleep, but the best meditations are specifically designed to calm the mind before bed. These three meditation techniques are experts’ favorite ways to relax and fall asleep.
1. Count your breath
The concept is a lot like counting sheep, but instead of counting sheep, you focus on your breath, says Rafat Girgis, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and mind-body medicine at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine and clinical director of The Moment of Clarity Mental Health Center. “Lie down in a comfortable spot in bed, turn off the lights, close your eyes, and start breathing in through your nose (with your mouth closed), then slowly exhale through your mouth, getting all the air out of your lungs, and then start counting,” he instructs. This technique can help calm racing thoughts at night. “Keep your mind busy by counting and get your body moving, and you’ll notice your mind calm down,” Dr. Girgis says.
2. Mindful breathing
According to Dr. Shergikar, some people find deep breathing more intuitive than other sleep meditation techniques. The idea is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, paying attention to the rhythm of each breath cycle. Specific breathing techniques include breathing in through your nose for two seconds and out through your mouth for four seconds, or a technique called box breathing. A 2021 study found that practicing mindful breathing 30 minutes before bedtime may improve sleep quality, sleep latency, efficiency, duration, daytime functioning, anxiety levels, and insomnia.
3. Body Scan
“This is the most incredible systematic tool for relaxing each part of your body,” says Dr. Girgis, who personally uses the method to fall asleep. “You do this over and over again until your body is relaxed, your mind is fatigued, and you can fall asleep. The main goal is progressive muscle relaxation, releasing tension in each muscle group.” To do this, gradually and intentionally relax each part of your body, starting with your toes and working your way up to the top of your head.
Does listening to sleep meditations help?
Yes! Sleep meditations work, and there are several guided meditation apps available to help you get into the zone for a good night’s sleep. Drs. Girgis, Shergikar, and Penghoff wholeheartedly recommend listening to a guided audio meditation or bedtime podcast to help you fall asleep, especially if you’re new to meditation. “Some people find guided audio meditations beneficial because the structured format removes the pressure or anxiety of having to ‘know’ how to meditate or get it ‘right,'” says Dr. Shergikar.
Listening to a guided sleep meditation is a good way to get started and learn what you enjoy and don’t, says Penghoff. But if guided sessions aren’t your thing, don’t force yourself to do them. “You may want to personalize your sleep meditation practice and not feel the need to follow a set structure,” says Dr. Shergikar. And that’s totally okay. Just remember: “Meditation takes time and practice, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it,” adds Penghoff.
Wondering where to start with guided meditation? These expert-recommended apps and videos are a great place to start.
- Relaxing songs: Pengov loves this platform for sleep and nap meditations that you can access wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
- Headspace: Penghoff praised the popular meditation app for offering a large library of sleep meditations and sleep stories.
- Calm: Calm, another popular meditation app Pengov pointed out, has sleep stories, meditations, music and soundscapes, with some titles voiced by celebrities.
- The sleepiest: Dr. Guirgis likes this library of over 150 sleep sounds, including white noise and Zen chants. The app lets you choose sounds that help you fall asleep without actually doing a guided meditation.
- Insight TimerBoth Dr. Girgis and Dr. Penghoff recommend Insight Timer, a free app that features talks, guided meditations, and a large selection of soothing music tracks.
- Pujiz“Pzizz uses scientifically-backed psychoacoustic principles to create a personalized sleep program,” says Dr. Girgis. You can also customize audio settings and session length.
- Buddhahood: This app, recommended by Dr. Girgis, offers guided meditations to help ease anxiety. “It’s great for calming your mind during your morning commute or before bed, and it even has meditations for kids,” says Dr. Girgis.
How can I meditate and fall asleep?
Meditating to sleep is easier than you might think. Start a meditation on your phone and feel calm and relaxed. For more detailed instructions, check out the methods recommended by Dr. Girgis and Dr. Pengov.
1. Get ready for bed.
“First, brush your teeth, put on an eye mask, and do any other tasks you need to do before bed,” Penghoff advises. Make sure your room is quiet, dark, and free of other distractions.
2. Start meditating.
Next, find your favorite sleep meditation, sleep story, or white noise and set a timer if you like, says Penghoff. Press play and find the right volume that’s audible but not so loud that it wakes you up. If you plan on meditating without your phone, you can skip this step.
3. Keep your cell phone out of sight and reach.
Penghoff recommends keeping your phone somewhere you can hear it but out of reach, “also recommending setting your phone to ‘do not disturb’ and placing it face down so the light doesn’t distract you,” he adds.
4. Immerse yourself in meditation.
Surrender to meditation. “Decide whether you’re comfortable sitting or lying down,” suggests Dr. Girgis. Lying down is preferable for bedtime, especially if you want to fall asleep quickly, he says. As you begin meditating, let go of any expectations or worries about meditating the “right” way or how much sleep you’ll get. Don’t worry about making up for lost sleep by making up for lost sleep. The only thing you need to worry about in this moment is relaxing. “It’s natural for your mind to wander. That’s normal,” says Dr. Penghoff. “When you notice your mind wandering, acknowledge it and bring your thoughts back to meditation.”
How long should I meditate before going to bed?
There is no set amount of time you should meditate before bed, but if you are new to meditation, it is best to start with a short period of time.
“It takes time for any new habit to become a habit, so start with five minutes of meditation as part of your pre-bedtime relaxation routine,” says Dr. Shergikar. “As you become more comfortable with meditating, you can increase the amount of time you spend meditating or try different meditation techniques to find what works best for you to sleep.”
If you want to fall asleep to a meditation, don’t worry about the length of the meditation: Many guided sleep meditations run for 15 to 60 minutes to give you enough time to fall asleep, and the meditation will hopefully continue playing after you fall into a deep sleep.
“If you find yourself unable to concentrate or relax during meditation, it may be that you’re not ready to sleep yet, or the meditation isn’t right for you. For example, some people prefer certain voices or specific background music,” Penghoff says. “There’s no right or wrong way to meditate — if you’re doing it, then you’re doing it right.”
