Three Meditations To Try For A Better Night’s Sleep
You deserve to sleep well. Oppressive systems have negatively impacted our sleeping lives, but it's time to reclaim our rest, and these three types of meditation can help.
We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and that has a huge effect on our health. Although mindful meditation, the practice of becoming aware of thoughts or feelings and trying to quiet the mind, can be helpful for better sleep, these three types of meditation work best for deeper, more restful sleep.
Read on to get the sleep you deserve.
Sleep meditation involves meditating in bed to fall asleep. Counting your breath is one of the best ways to do this. Much like counting sheep, this practice calms the mind by breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth, and counting each breath.
Mindful breathing is similar but focuses on noticing the rhythm of the breathing cycle rather than counting each breath. Studies have shown that a mindful breathing exercise 30 minutes before bedtime can help with sleep quality, duration, anxiety, and insomnia.
After you wake up, this technique can improve daytime and daily functioning, too.
Body scanning systematically relaxes the body through progressive muscle relaxation. It involves tensing and relaxing each body part, from head to toe.
For generations, our bodies weren't our own. But your body belongs to you. Claim your rest, and know you don't have to earn it because it's already yours.
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