Typically when you read about meditation experiences, you read about how meditation empowers you to get through the day. Meditation indeed does give you the motivation to get through the day’s challenges by providing you with physical and mental energy, and the needed calmness to get through whatever the day brings.
However, some people grapple with trying to get a good night’s sleep, as opposed to getting through a typical day. And sleep is just as important as meditation when it comes to keeping your wits about you. After all, lack of sleep can be just as damaging, if not more so, than lack of meditation. But you may be wondering, if meditation can energize you, then wouldn’t it be bad for getting you to sleep? The answer to that: a special type of meditation that can help you get a good night’s sleep. This meditation is called Yoga Nidra.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is simply defined as “yogic sleep,” and while it isn’t strictly used for just improving sleep, it can certainly help with sleep. Yoga Nidra most often is practiced with a guided soundtrack, and involves lying down in the “Corpse Pose” (Savasana). Try this guided meditation for Yoga Nidra offered by Art of Living, and enjoy deep relaxation. Again, while this guided meditation isn’t directly designed for sleep, one can transition into sleep from it.
Yoga Asanas to Help You Sleep
Doing some yoga postures right before sleep can also help with going to sleep. These yoga poses can help with calming the mind and inducing a state of restfulness. Try them before going to bed:
- Easy Forward Bend (variation of Sukhasana)
- Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
- Child’s Pose (Balasana)
- Plow Pose (Halasana)
- Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
- Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
- Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
- Reclining Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Meditation for sleep has been demonstrated to help alleviate sleep problems, according to the Harvard Medical School. In a study conducted by Harvard, those who practiced mindfulness meditation before bedtime achieved better results for their sleep than those who were simply taught better sleep practices alone.
In short, there isn’t anything meditation can’t do when it comes to enhancing your life. It’s not just for starting or getting through the day. It can also help you get through the night! In addition to using it to give you a boost of energy, it can also help you recharge in the ultimate way, right before sleep. Give it a try!
