John, one of our Time 2 Sleep mums, found that introducing a short
meditation to her bedtime routine meant she slept more soundly and woke
up feeling refreshed. Here are her tips for better sleep using the power of
meditating.
“I used to find that the minute my head hit the pillow after a full-on day, it was
like I’d flicked a switch and my mind was suddenly in overdrive. I found myself
overwhelmed with thoughts, worries and things to do. Have you ever had this?
I read recently that most of us will spend a staggering 26 years of our lives asleep
and another seven years trying to get to sleep. That’s a lot of time to be tossing
and turning in bed!
I’m a busy mum and I sensed that I was still full of adrenaline when I got into
bed… thinking back over the day, planning the next day, creating a mental to-do
list, worrying about the latest article I’d read online.
As a mum, you may find the same. So, I wanted to share with you a technique
that I’ve found invaluable in getting myself to sleep when my mind just doesn’t
want to let go.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of meditation for helping you to relax
and quieten your mind. According to the National Sleep Foundation, meditation
can not only improve sleep quality, but it can also increase sleep time and make
it easier to fall and stay asleep.
Give this short, mindfulness meditation a try next time you can’t sleep.
- Starting at your feet, focus on releasing any tension, one toe at a time,
moving along the soles of your feet into your ankles. - Allow the whole of your foot to feel heavy. Soften any tension that you feel
and allow it to float away. - Next move up to your calves and then your thighs.
- Take your attention to the front of your legs, focusing on softening and
releasing. Your legs might start to feel heavy or light or tingly. - Carry on using this technique as you work through the whole of your
body, front and back. - Take your time, there’s no rush. Any time you encounter tension or stress
just focus on releasing and softening.
For me, this works without fail, helping me move from a muddle of stressful
thoughts to a state of greater peace and calm, the perfect prerequisite for better
sleep.
If you are interested in using meditation further to help you sleep, you can
download a free guided meditation by Time2sleep here.
