Can't sleep?

How mindfulness and meditation can help

We all feel stress in our lives. And although there are ways to combat its effects, it still affects our lives, especially our sleep health. When we go to sleep we feel more stressed because we are tired and can't concentrate the next day. This in turn leads to more sleep loss and more stress, just until it feels like you are trapped in a vicious cycle. The good news is that there is a way out of this cycle. In this article, we are going to look at how to overcome stress using mindfulness and meditation tactics so that your sleep is less affected by daily stress.

Your sleep and your mind

Can't sleep? While it's no surprise that stress disrupts healthy sleep patterns, it's important to discuss how much of an impact it can have. The American Psychology Association conducted a study of healthy Americans who felt that stress caused them to sleep worse. The findings were as follows:

• More than half reported feeling sluggish or lazy
• 38% of people reported feeling irritated.
• 29% of respondents reported having problems with concentration.
• 25% reported not feeling motivated to take on responsibilities.

If the problem of stress-induced sleep disturbance is not remedied, patients may face increased risk of problems such as impaired immune function, stomach upset, high blood pressure, mood swings and even dental problems (clenching and grinding of teeth).
To address these problems, we must first look at the mind. How can we calm ourselves, eliminate stress and move toward a better mental environment? Let's look at mindfulness and meditation.

What is Mindfulness and Meditation?

According to a report from Harvard University's Medical School, mindfulness is heightened awareness and intended to help people focus on "moment-by-moment experiences, thoughts and emotions." In other words, it's about being present in the moment and focusing your thoughts on one central point. Combined with meditation exercises, especially before bed, it can create a sense of calm and relaxation that few other activities can offer. "Mindfulness meditation involves concentrating on your breathing and then focusing your attention on the present, without worrying about the past or the future. It helps you break through the series of everyday thoughts to evoke a relaxation response."

The immediate benefit of mindfulness meditation is that you get the full and opposite experience of a stress response. It is a "physiological shift" in the body and triggers brain chemicals associated with the onset of sleep, drowning out the stress hormones our brain might release instead. We will now explore how to do mindfulness meditation so that you can incorporate this way of relaxing into your own evening schedule.

Simple Mindfulness Technique

1. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.

2. Choose a "focus." This can be a word (relax, breathe, calm, rest, peace, etc.), a sound (ohm is the most popular), a short prayer or relaxing poem, or a mantra such as "breathe in the calm, breathe out the tension." Repeat the focus on both inhaling and exhaling.

3. Begin by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Concentrate on proper breathing and the focus of your choice.

4. Let go of everything else. If you find yourself thinking about something other than focus, correct yourself with a particular phrase such as "refocus" or "think." And go back to mindfulness.

Do this for 20 minutes every day and you will be able to quickly shift gears and enjoy healthy, refreshing sleep again.

How do you know if mindfulness techniques help you sleep?

Check out the free SleepScore App to learn more about the quantity and quality of your sleep each night. Track your stress levels and see how high stress and low stress days affect your sleep. Make positive lifestyle changes to continue to improve your nightly sleep. It all starts with measuring your sleep behavior!