I used to struggle a lot with falling asleep at night. My mind would often be racing, usually about something that was bothering me. Other times, my mind would be blank, but sleep still wouldn’t come. The worst was when I desperately wanted to sleep, and just as I was drifting off and starting to dream, I’d get excited and wake up again.
But now, I usually fall asleep within minutes or even seconds after my head hits the pillow. Over time, I developed a set of techniques that help me switch off the kind of mental activity that disrupts sleep and causes insomnia.
Mindfulness helps reduce wandering thoughts. It helps us notice when our thoughts are unhelpful, so we can let go of them. This might involve recognizing that anxious thoughts are stirring up our emotions and keeping us awake. Once we recognize this unhelpful thinking, we let go of it and redirect our attention to our body.
Focusing on the body has a calming effect. By paying attention to the physical sensations in our body, we have less mental bandwidth for anxious thoughts. The rhythm of our breathing can also help soothe us.
We can scan our entire body, right down to our toes, simply being aware of the sensations arising there. Even if we feel unpleasant sensations, like a knot of anxiety in the gut, mindfulness teaches us to accept them without reacting. Without mindfulness, anxiety symptoms can cause our mind to go into overdrive, worsening our anxiety. Mindfulness of the body helps break this cycle, allowing us to relax and promote sleep.
Breathing is an essential part of our body, and being aware of our breathing can be another mindfulness approach. Anxiety often makes us focus on our thoughts, almost forgetting our bodies. It also makes our breathing rapid and shallow. By focusing on the rise and fall of our belly, we can take our attention away from our thoughts and promote a soothing effect. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us back to rest and balance, making it easier to sleep.
If you feel physically restless, paying attention to the weight of your body pressing into your mattress can be helpful. I imagine my body becoming heavier as if gravity is increasing, which promotes a sense of surrender to sleep and physical stillness.
Stimulating mental imagery can keep us awake. To counter this, visualize something soothing and a bit boring. I imagine rain pattering on woodland leaves on an overcast day. This nature imagery is calming and holds my attention without being stimulating.
If inner chatter keeps you awake, try slowing down your internal speech and speaking in a deeper tone. This can lull you into sleep more quickly, as your self-talk becomes more soothing.
Relaxing your eyes can also help. When we’re daydreaming, our eyes are usually softly focused and relaxed. Allowing your eyes to rest and become aware of everything in your visual field while keeping them closed can slow your breathing and promote relaxation.
Negative emotions can keep us awake, such as worrying, judging, or feeling irritable. Breaking this cycle by becoming more emotionally at ease can make it easier to sleep. One way to do this is by recalling a memory of looking at something with kindness and affection, like a baby or a pet. Then, turn that same kindness toward yourself.
You can combine these techniques. For example, adopt a loving gaze while being aware of your body’s weight, or relax your eyes while focusing on your breathing. Experiment and see what works best for you.
Persist with these approaches. They might not work immediately, but training your mind to fall asleep quickly becomes easier over time.
I find that a body/breathing meditation helps me wind down, especially after evening exercise. Even though it takes me a while to concentrate, the quality of sleep afterward is much better. My method involves sitting up, focusing on my breathing, and slowly shifting my awareness to my body. When I can barely stay awake, I lie down and sleep deeply for several hours.
I also notice that when I wake up in the middle of the night, it’s easier to go back to sleep if I’ve practiced these techniques beforehand. If I’m still awake, I consider this “bonus time” for reading and relaxing, which also helps.
Someone expressed doubt about these techniques working due to a cluttered mind. My advice is to try them and practice over time. Training your brain to relax and sleep is like training for any other skill—it takes patience and persistence.
Sometimes, focusing on physical sensations, like tiredness or comfort, can help. Avoid associating breathing meditation with sleep if you want to stay alert during meditation. But personally, I haven’t found this to be a problem.
Heart Rate Variability biofeedback can also be useful. By regulating your breathing and focusing your thoughts, it helps relax your muscles and quiets your nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep.
Overall, exercise can significantly improve sleep. Even brisk walking can help, though it’s best not to exercise too close to bedtime. Finally, if external factors wake you, like needing to use the bathroom, practicing these mindfulness techniques can help you get back to sleep more easily.