How to Use Meditation for Better Sleep

How to Use Meditation for Better Sleep

by Kathleen Lisson

One frustrating obstacle for newer meditators is how often the sessions involve at least a few moments of sleep. If the intention of a meditation session is not sleep, there are several techniques for staying awake. But what if sleep is exactly what your body needs?

A busy travel or vacation schedule means at least a few hours of downtime on a plane, train or car. Making the most of a plane ride can be the difference between arriving at your destination groggy or refreshed. What if you could enjoy a long nap along the way and arrive feeling balanced and peaceful? I recommend trying one of the following three types of guided meditation the next time you are facing a long car, train or airplane ride.

What you need:

• Sleep mask, neck pillow and blanket or large scarf
• Smartphone or ipod with headphones
• Meditation app like Insight Timer or downloaded guided meditations (UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness has several)

Types of Guided Meditation for Sleep:

• Mantra Meditation - this technique has the meditator repeating a phrase silently over and over. The repetition can be very soothing and relaxing.

• Body Scan - this meditation cues the meditator to focus on and relax parts of the body from the head to the feet.

• Yoga Nidra - This type of yoga doesn’t involve movement at all! Instead, the meditator will enter a deep ‘yogic’ sleep.

A week before your trip, select a few guided meditations that sound relaxing and give them a ‘test drive’ by listening to them before bedtime. Choose one or two that really put you to sleep fast and download them or bookmark them to your favorites. Then, when you are en route to your destination, settle into your seat, get comfortable using your mask, pillow and blanket, listen to your meditation and drift off into a nourishing sleep.

Kathleen Lisson is a certified Meditation Teacher and Labyrinth Facilitator and teaches Meditation and Mindfulness at IPSB college in San Diego. Sign up for a private meditation lesson in the comfort of your home here: https://www.massagebook.com/San_Diego~Massage~sandiego?src=external