How to Do Meditation for Sleep

Healthy sleep is more about the quality of sleep rather than the amount of time you spend in bed. You've probably gone to bed many times and woken up feeling tired, poorly rested, and in need of an energy boost.

We completely understand how frustrating it can be to want to sleep and not be able to. It doesn't get any better trying to force yourself – sleep is one of those things in life you just can't force!  

Luckily, meditation might help to calm your thoughts and ease your body, making it easier to fall asleep. This technique has been around for decades and is relied on by many to help them get to sleep. However, meditation should not be treated as a cure for underlying illnesses or conditions affecting sleep quality. 

If you still cannot get good quality sleep even after meditating, you should get professional help from a doctor or specialist. Meanwhile, let's explore more on meditation methods for sleep and how to meditate for sleep.

 

Key takeaways

• Meditation is a time-tested technique with numerous health benefits, including improving sleep quality.
• Meditation is not a one-size-fits-all technique. It works best if you use the method(s) that suit your needs.
• Like most natural techniques, consistency and persistence are required when practicing meditation for sleep.

Before you start your sleep meditation routine, you need to:

Set up the right meditation environment

Assemble your meditation tools

If you need your phone, PC, or any other device to help you meditate, place it somewhere within reach. 

Turn down screen brightness and close any other apps that might distract you. If you use a white noise machine, set it to a comfortable volume.

Keep your meditation time free of distractions, and ensure you have what you need before meditating for sleep.

Remove all distractions

The ideal environment for sleep meditation should be quiet, calm, and free of distractions. For even better results, you should create a routine, so your brain knows what to expect when that time comes. For example, a night routine teaches the brain to start shutting down when evening comes and prepares the body for sleep.

Turn off the radio or TV, and ensure the kids or pets are asleep. Keep all your recreational devices off other than the laptop or phone you'll be using for your guided meditation. Ensure the meditation space is dimly lit to set the mood for sleep.

Get comfortable

Put on your most comfortable jammies, then choose the most comfortable posture to avoid turning and tossing. You can sit up or lie down on your bed.

Pick a meditation method 

There are several meditation methods. Depending on your personal preference, you can use a single method or combine two or three. You might need to try a few of these meditation techniques before settling on the one(s) that work for you.

You may also want to incorporate CBD products into your sleep meditation if this is something that helps you relax. 

 

Types of sleep meditation

There are various meditation methods that you can choose from to help improve sleep. Some of those methods are: 

Guided meditation

Guided meditation is one of the most common meditation methods for sleep. With this, a guide soothingly leads you through a breathing exercise or any other relaxation method. The aim here is to relax the mind and eventually drift off. 

Guided meditation might require you to listen to YouTube videos or use meditation apps like Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer. Through these, you listen to soothing music, sleep stories or nature-inspired sounds like rain sounds. 

Guided meditation may also include meditative mantras, positive affirmations, and visualization.

Relaxing breath meditation

Relaxing breath meditation is also called nostril breathing as it involves holding your nostrils one at a time. In this type of meditation, ensure you are sitting or lying on your bed comfortably for better sleep.

1. Using your right hand, put your index finger and middle finger between your eyebrows. You may relax the fingers towards your palm if the former is uncomfortable. Alternatively, you can allow the fingers to hang or float in front of your forehead.
2. Use your thumb, close off your right nostril and inhale slowly with your left nostril to full lung capacity. Use your pinky and ring finger to close your left nostril.
3. Releasing your thumb, slowly exhale through your right nostril and empty your lungs. Repeat the same process with your left nostril and breathe in to full lung capacity.
4. Put your thumb back on your right nostril and release your pinky and ring fingers to allow you to breathe out through your left, emptying the lungs. 

Repeat this pattern until you start feeling relaxed. Ease off gradually as you feel sleep coming, and close your eyes. Continue taking long, deep breaths. 

Mantra meditation

In mantra meditation, you pick a word or short phrase and repeat it for as long as it takes. You can choose to say it internally or verbally in a soft voice. Your chosen phrase can be something as simple as 'om' or 'I am at peace, 'I am calm,' or 'I am kind.' 

Repeating these mantras focuses your mind.

To practice mantra meditation for better sleep, be comfortable (sit or lie on your bed), decide how long you want to meditate (could be between 5-30 minutes), and set your timer. Ensure that the timer does not startle you from sleep by using relaxing ring tones like a bird song, ocean, or waterfall sounds. 

Start with a few deep breaths and pay attention to your breathing. Don't try to modify it. Focus on the "feel" of air entering your lungs. As you breathe slowly, chant your mantra loudly or silently and match the chanting with your breathing. Let your breathing be your guide, and always remember to redirect your thoughts when they start wandering. 

Once your timer goes, take a few moments to sit with your now quiet mind and self-assess whether you are relaxed enough to sleep. You can repeat the exercise if need be.

Yoga Nidra

This type of meditation combines self-inquiry, deep relaxation, and meditation. With Yoga Nidra (Nidra is a Sanskrit word that means sleep), you are in between a state of sleep and waking consciousness. This type of meditation aims to relax every part of your body. 

It can also include guided visualization, the release of mental effort, and mindful awareness of sensations, senses, and emotions. 

Yoga Nidra is better practiced when lying down. Like guided meditation, sleep meditation apps or YouTube can come in handy with Yoga Nidra meditation for sleep.

 

Benefits of sleep meditation

Research shows that people who don't get at least 7 hours of sleep daily may be prone to heart disease, unhealthy eating habits, diabetes, and other chronic ailments. Sleep deprivation may also cause fatigue, and short or long-term memory impairments and affect decision-making, attention, and reaction time. 

We've already discussed how to meditate for better sleep. Besides the already highlighted benefits, here are some more:

• Relaxes the body – focusing on our breathing and the present helps us let go of wandering thoughts. This clearing of the mind may be exactly what you need to drift off to sleep. 
• Managing jetlag or sleep deprivation for people who work shift jobs – sleep meditation is helpful to people experiencing jetlag or those who work shift jobs where sleep patterns are disrupted. This is possible because meditation may reduce stress, feeling overwhelmed, and fatigue. 
• May reduce anxiety – worrying and anxiety are two things that make it hard to drift to dreamland. Meditation, as we've discussed, helps to calm your mind. Once the mind rests, the body can also follow suit, making it easier for you to sleep. 
• It is safe – unlike medical treatments for insomnia that might cause dependency in addition to long- and short-term side effects, meditation is natural and completely safe. It is also essentially free and accessible to everyone. It also happens to be a fun activity!

FOCL CBD products for sleep

CBD sleep supplements may not be for everyone, but you might find that CBD could help you get to sleep. 

With CBD supplements, timing is essential. It takes time for CBD to be digested and absorbed in the systemic circulation, so take your CBD sleep supplement 30 minutes to an hour before you start your night routine and meditation. 

We highly recommend FOCL CBD sleep supplements because they are made from hemp CBD and an assortment of herbal extracts to make them more effective. Our top CBD supplements that may support sleep include: 

Made with premium organic CBD and CBN, our Sleep Drops are formulated to aid better and deeper sleep. These sleep drops contain premium carrier oils that are naturally sweetened (no bitter taste!) and flavored to mask any grassy cannabis aftertaste.

If you prefer something better-tasting and fun, try our CBD + CBN Sleep Gummies. We want you to sleep better to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Each gummy contains 15mg of CBN and 25mg of premium CBD. They are easy to chew and pleasantly melt in your mouth.

Our FOCL Night are your true companion if you struggle with sleep. These capsules are made with premium hemp CBD oil and several organic botanicals, which are believed to help relax the body and mind. 

This powerful CBD formulation minimizes the impact of sleep distractors like stress, allowing you to fall asleep much faster. Organic hop cones support good sleep quality, and Griffonia simplicifolia helps the body produce serotonin and melatonin. 

Meditation may help you sleep much better, contributing to a better quality of life. Check out the video below to learn more about meditation: