Quick & Easy Ways to Meditate Your Way to Better Quality Sleep

If you struggle with finding quality sleep, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans are fighting to get enough restorative rest, and are actively looking for solutions just like you. 

The most enlightened sleep seekers have discovered that meditation provides an excellent avenue to better sleep, and successfully apply this practice every day in small ways to improve their sleep and overall quality of life. 

Not only does meditation help you sleep better, it leaves you feeling more refreshed and energized during your waking hours, making it the perfect pick-me-up when you need an all-natural energy boost.

But if you’re like most people who are sleep deprived, you’re already tired and running behind schedule, so finding extra time in your day to meditate might feel like another task you can’t seem to get checked off your list. 

Fear not.

Meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting on a buckwheat pouf for hours on end listening for the sound of one hand clapping. You can use simple and portable meditation habits into your daily life in just a few minutes, even while you’re on the go. 

Try these simple and portable meditation practices to get more peace and relaxation throughout your day and encourage better sleep at night.

Breath With Your Abdomen

Most of us forget to fully breathe throughout the day. Chronic lazy breathing has many causes. If you spend long hours slumped over a desk you might forget to inhale deeply for hours at a time. If you’re under a lot of stress your body may have gotten used to short, shallow breaths, which actually serve to increase stress and prime the body for fight or flight.

Whenever you catch yourself in a shallow breathing pattern, simply take a full, deep breath. You can do this while you’re driving or sitting at your desk, or even while you’re trying to drift off to sleep at night. 

The act of breathing deeply signifies to your brain that you’re getting adequate oxygen and will release the stress you may be feeling in your body. Lowering your stress during the day will go a long way in helping you find a peaceful slumber at night.

Try Journaling Before Bed

Journaling before bed is a great way to get all your racing thoughts out of your head and down on paper. It’s natural for the mind to want to solve problems, so trying to force the thoughts to quiet via sheer willpower isn’t usually effective for calming the mind. 

Taking a few minutes to jot down thoughts, feelings, and worries before bed puts all the concerns of the day down safely on paper and out of your head. It can serve as an effective form of meditation and help you rest easier throughout the night.

Try 4-7-8 Conscious Breathing

Breathing patterns are common in meditation, and according to well-known meditation champion Dr. Andrew Weil, one particular method is particularly effective at calming the central nervous system and inducing calm. 

Dr. Weil developed the 4-7-8 breathing pattern based on ancient pranayama yoga methods and he claims it’s as effective as a tranquilizer. It’s designed to help you take control of your breathing and when practiced regularly can help you fall asleep faster and more easily.

Meditation is not only easy to incorporate into your daily life, it’s a safe and effective way to improve your sleep. Try one or more of these methods and discover just how easy it is to get a more restful night of sleep quickly.