How can I sleep better without sleeping pills?

What Gurudev says

You know the feeling: in the evening your mind just isn't ready to let go – too many thoughts, too many loose ends? Gurudev describes exactly this state as one of the main causes of poor sleep.

Too much dreaming, too much wanting to do, this has all caused insomnia. I want nothing, I do nothing – keep these two things in mind. You will fall asleep like a baby.

From the official Art of Living website — "Sleep Secrets: Say goodbye to sleepless nights -" (2023-06-18)

Here Gurudev is talking about an inner attitude, not about sleeping pills or how they work – his words don't answer that question, and this page does not evaluate sleeping pills or any other treatment. What you can draw from the passage, though, is a simple mental exercise you can use alongside whatever you've discussed with your doctor: consciously winding down the wanting and doing in your mind, shortly before you go to sleep.

What you can do

1. Repeat inwardly: "I want nothing, I do nothing." Gurudev describes exactly these two phrases as a simple reminder against the mind running on.
2. Consciously set the day's business aside before you go to bed. Take a few minutes where you stop wanting to plan or get anything done in your mind.
3. Turn it into a regular habit. Repeat this moment of letting go every evening, instead of only reaching for it on especially sleepless nights.
4. Watch yourself doing it, without forcing anything. If thoughts keep running anyway, that's not a failure – just gently return to the two phrases.
5. Talk to your doctor about sleeping pills and ongoing sleep problems. This exercise is a complement, not a replacement for what you discuss with your doctor – don't change anything a doctor has prescribed without talking to them first.

Frequently asked questions

What to do about waking up frequently at night? Gurudev often names too much dreaming and too much wanting to do as the cause – his advice is a simple inner reset: want nothing, do nothing. He also explains waking at night through inner energies: when your Prana level is too high, you're jittery and awake; when your Apana level is too high, you feel dull and heavy.

What to do about insomnia? For Gurudev, insomnia often comes from too much wanting and too much doing in the mind – "I want nothing, I do nothing" is his simple reminder against it. He also describes how restlessness and unfulfilled desires keep the mind too busy for deep sleep, and advises loosening the grip of desire so it stops disturbing you.

What rituals help with falling asleep? Gurudev describes less of a fixed evening ritual and more of an inner attitude: too much dreaming and too much wanting to do things keep you awake. The "ritual" you can draw from his words is simple: repeat "I want nothing, I do nothing" inwardly, and use it to wind down the wanting and doing in your mind.

What can I do about stress? Gurudev advises training the mind to live in the present moment, instead of carrying around needless tension. Once the mind stops racing, in his words, you experience deep rest with full alertness. Meditation, he says, keeps new stress from taking hold, and at the same time releases what has already built up in the system.

Related questions

• Why can't I switch off at night?
• How can I sleep better?
• What helps against racing thoughts before falling asleep?
• What can I do when worries keep me awake at night?
• Does meditation before sleep really help?
• Sleep — overview

Sources

The quotes on this page come from:

• Official Art of Living website — "Sleep Secrets: Say goodbye to sleepless nights -" (2023-06-18)