Mindfulness and Sleep Problems

Solutions for sleep issues often involve medication and various techniques. However, sleep is a natural process, and the more you try to force yourself to sleep, the more counterproductive it becomes. If you rely on these techniques, you move further away from natural sleep. Mindfulness offers a different approach, as described below, on how to improve sleep through mindfulness.

Accept Insomnia

When falling asleep becomes a struggle, you need to stop fighting. Worrying about insomnia and the problems it may cause only adds extra tension and anxiety. Instead, accept the fact of insomnia. Reversing the habitual reactions to insomnia requires a long process, and stopping the struggle is the first step.

Allow Anxiety to Arise

Accepting anxious feelings is easier said than done, but mindfulness techniques can help you allow these anxious emotions to surface and explore them. Let the air you inhale flow into areas of tension, and then exhale in a state of openness and relaxation—not trying to get rid of these emotions, but letting them be.

Shift from “Doing Mode” to “Being Mode”

Sometimes, we get stuck in a “doing mode,” driven by tasks, and find it hard to stop. This busy “doing mode” is not helpful for sleep: the body is lying down, but the mind is racing, planning for tomorrow or trying to solve problems. Sleep means disengaging from “doing mode.” Mindfulness helps us transition to “being mode.”

Make a Smooth Transition

Nighttime sleep is a transition between day and night, but when lying in bed, we may still find ourselves entangled in the events of the day. By mindfully recognizing transition points and taking breaks between tasks, we gradually let go of some matters over time. Stop, breathe, create space, and then move forward.

Use Breathing

Many mindfulness practices emphasize breathing. Physiologically, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s natural system for calming down. When trying to fall asleep, being mindful of your breath is the best way to awaken the body’s natural instinct.

Connect with Your Body

Mindful breathing helps shift our focus from complex thoughts to the present bodily sensations. This shift from thinking to awareness also assists in transitioning from “doing mode” to “being mode,” and then sleep comes naturally.

Be Aware of Mental Impulses

When feeling emotionally aroused, if we focus on the body, we can sense how emotions affect it, and this process itself can calm the emotions. Being aware of one’s mental impulses rather than letting them develop is the first step to resolving them.

Be Patient

Sleep problems develop over time, and solving them naturally requires some time. Stay mindful, and allow changes to come at the right time, naturally.