What is the most effective sleep meditation?

See how to clear your mind, relax, and induce sleep with guided meditation, according to experts.

Try an Unexpected Technique a Sleep Doctor Swears By

What Is Sleep Hygiene, Exactly?

alt

When you cant sleep, you might try counting sheep or popping a tab of melatonin.

(Hands up if youre an unintentional night owl!)

What can you do to break the cycle?

alt

clinical professor of sleep medicine and neurology at the University of Michigan and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Well, theres a good chance meditation for sleep could be your key to sweet dreams.

How can meditation help with sleep?

Meditation can help you cope with negative emotions and become more patient, present, and accepting.

alt

It can strengthen areas of the brainrelated to memoryand self-awareness and is even used inrecovery for addiction.

At the same time, patients with anxiety and depression aremuch more likelyto complain of sleep troubles.

Conversely, improving someones quality of sleep is shown tosignificantly improve mental health.

alt

Any bang out of meditation has the potential to impart the benefits listed above.

On some nights, you may even need a combination of methods, she adds.

One overarching recommendation from Pengov is to pick a meditation designed specifically for sleep.

alt

clinical professor of sleep medicine and neurology at the University of Michigan and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

These three meditation methods are expert favorites for winding down and nodding off.

Counting your breath

This concept is much like counting sheep.

This technique can help to calmracing thoughts at night.

alt

What Do Dreams About Snakes Mean?

13 Different Snake Dreams Decoded

Watching Stressful Dramas Like The Pitt Before Bed?

Heres What a Sleep Doctor Thinks

Does Your Sleeping Position Really Say Anything About Your Mental Health?

alt

The primary purpose is progressivemuscle relaxationreleasing tension in each muscle group.

Does listening to sleep meditation work?

But if youre not into guided sessions, theres no need to force it.

Wondering where to start when it comes to guided meditation?

These expert-recommended apps and videos are a great place to start.

How can I meditate myself to sleep?

Its easier than you might expect to meditate yourself to sleep.

Cue up a meditation on your phone, settle in, and allow yourself to relax.

For a more thorough breakdown, heres how Dr. Girgis and Pengov recommend giving it a try.

Get ready for bed.

Make your room quiet and dark and eliminate any other distractions.

Cue up a meditation.

If youre planning to meditate without your phone, you’re able to skip this step.

Place your phone out of sight and reach.

Immerse yourself in the meditation.

Settle in to meditate.

Sit or lie down, depending on what feels most comfortable, Dr. Girgis recommends.

Lying down is preferable at bedtime, he says, especially if youre hoping to fall asleep imminently.

Try not to worry aboutcatching up on sleepor making up for anysleep debt.

All you better worry about at this moment is relaxing.

Your mind is likely to drift.

When you find your mind drifting, take note of that and bring your thoughts back to the meditation.

How long should you meditate before bed?

New habits take time before they become part of your routine.

Try starting with five minutes of meditation as part of the wind-down routine before bedtime, Dr. Shelgikar says.

There is no right or wrong way to meditate.

If you are doing it, you are doing it right!

Got it, you’ve been added to our email list.