I Used This Meditation Trick for a Week and Slept Like a Baby

While most individuals drift off within 10 to 20 minutes of going to bed, those confronted with sleep difficulties may find this timescale unattainable. For the 70 million Americans grappling with sleep disturbances, stress and anxiety often present formidable barriers. These factors can keep the mind too alert to relax, rendering sleep elusive.

If it takes more than 30 minutes for you to drift off, you may be compromising your sleep quality. Consequently, inadequate rest can adversely impact your mood, metabolism, cognitive abilities, immune function, and overall health. Therefore, finding methods to soothe your body and mind is crucial for inducing a state of calm conducive to slumber.

Techniques to Aid Sleep

Explore how the military method, meditation, and muscle relaxation can enhance sleep onset and accelerate the process of falling asleep, surpassing the traditional sheep-counting technique.

For additional guidance on improving sleep quality, explore these common sleep myths that might be impeding restful sleep and six habits you can adjust for better sleep hygiene.

Fall Asleep Using Meditation

Progressive muscle relaxation is a meditation technique that can effectively promote sleepiness. A study involving 32 young adults examined the effects of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). The findings demonstrated that PMR successfully lowered heart rates, improved sleep efficiency, and reduced the time taken to fall asleep. The objective is to employ mindfulness, breathing exercises, and muscle relaxation to mitigate stress and encourage restful sleep.

Steps to Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Step 1: Assume a comfortable sleeping posture, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths.
• Step 2: Tense your facial muscles for 10 seconds, then release and resume deep breathing.
• Step 3: Tense your shoulders for 10 seconds, release, and continue with deep breaths.
• Step 4: Repeat this process with the rest of your body, concluding with your feet. Avoid tensing muscles in areas prone to discomfort.

Fall Asleep with the Military Method

Military personnel, facing irregular sleep schedules and challenging conditions, developed the “military method” to fall asleep quickly and efficiently.

Steps to the Military Method

• Step 1: Lie down in your preferred sleeping position and sequentially relax facial muscles, including brows, lips, eyelids, and mouth.
• Step 2: Move to your arms, starting with shoulders, followed by elbows and wrists, ensuring relaxation.
• Step 3: Focus on your chest, taking deep, rhythmic breaths.
• Step 4: Continue downwards, relaxing from your waist to your feet.
• Step 5: Engage in guided imagery, visualizing a serene scene that induces relaxation. Redirect your focus back to visualization or muscle relaxation if intrusive thoughts emerge.

Adhere to the 20-Minute Rule

Should 20 minutes pass while attempting sleep, avoid persisting in bed. Prolonged wakefulness can escalate anxiety about sleep deprivation. Engage in a calming activity until you feel drowsy. Consider the following:

• Reading
• Listening to calming music
• Performing gentle yoga stretches
• Taking a warm bath
• Sipping herbal tea