Let’s begin our sleep meditations by focusing on the physical preparation for a restful evening

• Be purposeful and routine each evening as you prepare your sleep space
• Arrange your bed how you like it, so that the fabrics and colors of your bedding comfort you and make you feel good about where you sleep
• Understand and arrange for the right sleep temperature and allow for easy comfort adjustments throughout the night
• Control light and noise interference
• Keep a bottle of water by your bedside so you can hydrate if needed
• Develop a simple one-minute stretch routine just before getting in bed 

Being aware of how the brain functions to initiate sleep is a first step in developing mental preparations and meditations to promote effortless sleep. We want to develop awareness of how the brain is working so that we can act in concert with these natural energies.

Every evening your mind and body go through an automatic shutdown and transformation.

• Falling asleep is usually gradual with your consciousness touching back and forth between wakeful thoughts and an early sleep state
• As you fall asleep your body gives off heat and gradually cools down
• After you are asleep your mind partially shuts down your physical response to mental activity and reactivates the mind into a deeper dream state

Your physical meditations help you avoid distraction as you enter the intermittent sleep period. If your body is too hot or too cold you may inhibit your natural temperature response and prolong wakefulness.

What mental meditations will promote sleep and reduce distractions during the critical transition period from wakefulness to sleep? The answer to this question is different for each person. Consider some of the more common thought distractions.

• Persistent objective thinking occurs when your brain is working on a problem and won’t let go or stop processing
• Persistent emotional thinking occurs when you are upset, or concerned, about some event or situation
• Both objective and emotional thinking can work in tandem and both kinds of thinking prevent you from letting go into a sleep state

Awareness and Expression are two common and easily used meditations to address both types of persistent thought distractions

• Awareness is using your mind to look at or observe persistent thoughts. The power of observation is remarkable, and thought cannot persist when observed by the thinker because they are one and the same. In the same way that you cannot inhale and exhale at the same time, you cannot observe and think in the same moment
• Practice using observation as a way of managing overactive thinking
• Expression may help to diminish the power of persistent thought because it sends a message to your mind that you are paying attention to the problem.
• Written expression can promote a sense of organization, particularly when the thoughts are objective or task oriented
• Keep a pad by your bedside and make a list of things that are on your mind with a note that you are going to address these items the next day. Reassure yourself that these items are under control, so the mind can relax
• Emotional thinking may require more interactive or verbal expression. Sometimes there is no substitute for conversation to address persistent concerns of this kind. Write down your commitment to address these kinds of problems as a way of signaling your intention to resolve the issues underlying the persistent thoughts
• Prayer can serve as a means of expression and heightened awareness in religious practice and may calm the mind promoting better sleep

These simple examples of sleep meditations can help many people who suffer from insomnia get a better night’s sleep. Still others with more complex issues may require the help of a Doctor or Medical Specialist to help diagnose and treat their sleep related problems. To learn more about other resources see this resource link www.sleepdisorders.com.

Weight Gain: According to sleep scientists insufficient sleep promotes hunger and increases our appetite for food. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to an increase in levels of a hunger hormone called Ghrelin and a decrease in Leptin, a hormone that signals your brain when you are full.

Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: Chronic sleep problems can be a red flag for high blood sugar, which unchecked can lead to adult onset or Type 2 Diabetes. Frequent urination from high sugar is disruptive to sleep and not sleeping well can throw off your eating habits because you are tired and craving energy. Eating right and sleeping well go hand in hand.

Common reasons for not sleeping well include the following:

• Stress from work
• Overactive thinking
• Distracting sleep environment (too much noise or light)
• Too much sugar or caffeine
• Irregular sleep habits
• Lack of exercise
• Travel and time zone changes
• Uncomfortable bed or temperature

In learning about the importance of good sleep we are reminded that eating right and exercise contribute to better sleep. These three foundations of good health impact one another so that good habits in one area impact our capacity to achieve goals in other areas.

We see a lot written about the importance of exercise and weight management while the necessity of a good night’s sleep is often overlooked.