Mindfulness meditation for sleep? It works like a dream

Mary J. Blige once sang, “Sleep don’t come easy,” and when it’s 1:00 a.m., and I’m in bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to decompress from the day and invite my body to rest, I really resonate with those lyrics. 

For many of us, getting good sleep can feel like a luxury that we only have access to on weekends, holidays, and vacations—if that. However, studies have shown time and again that sleep is essential for our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Sleep is where our bodies go to heal, repair, and restore, and where our minds go to process and understand our lives and release stress. Many of us know how important sleep is, yet we find that getting any sleep— much less good sleep—can be really challenging. Speaking for myself, I know how hard it can be to get good sleep in general, much less when life is hectic. 

Here are 3 simple practices I rely on to help my mind and body relax and settle in for a good night’s sleep. 

Try a relaxing body scan

I started doing this practice with my kids to help them fall asleep, and then it dawned on me that I could try it for myself as well. A body scan is a mindfulness practice in which you guide your attention through different parts of the body, noticing what sensation, if any, you can be aware of.

The technique for a relaxing body scan is the same: You gently guide your awareness through the different parts of the body, such as your head, neck, shoulders, or arms, noticing the sensations present in each part. But then, you take it a step further and invite the different parts of your body to relax and release tension. 

You can imagine that any tightness or tension that each area of the body is holding melts away from your body, leaving you feeling totally soft, relaxed, and at ease. Bonus tip: Pair these moments of relaxation with deep exhales for an added effect.  

Give yourself a mental review (with self-compassion, of course) 

For many of us, there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all of the things we wish we could. And sometimes, that can leave us feeling a sense of stress or inadequacy. But when we actually examine what we do in a given day, we might be surprised to see how much we’ve actually accomplished. Even in those moments where it doesn’t seem like we are doing very much, a lot is going on internally. 

Doing a mental review of all of the activities we engaged in throughout the day can help us put our lives in perspective and acknowledge our efforts. This can help to bring a sense of ease and accomplishment, even if things weren’t perfect. 

As we review our day, we may come across moments where we weren’t at our best or where we could’ve done things differently. This is where self-compassion can support us. Being aware of where we could have shown up better is important, but it doesn’t mean we need to be cruel to ourselves. Instead, we can acknowledge with an attitude of kindness and friendliness towards ourselves that we can do better, and resolve to do just that. 

This compassionate mental review can be done while in bed or as part of our routine while getting ready for bed. It can help us process and release stress and prepare our minds to go into dreamland.  

Listen to sleep sounds or stories

Fun fact about me: I’m a super fan of the sitcom The Office. During the pandemic, it was the ultimate comfort watch for me, and now, I associate it with comfort in general. Before I came to rely on Leah‘s wonderful voice to help me fall asleep, I used to listen to episodes of The Office to help me fall back asleep if I had woken up in the middle of the night. 

These days, I enjoy listening to Sleep Journeys on the Balance app if I happen to wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep on my own. 

So find the sounds that you associate with comfort and ease, and that don’t make you think too much. They can be really supportive in your sleep hygiene tool kit.

Remember: Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. 

Sleep is a necessity for our overall well-being—it’s not a luxury! 

I hope these tips help you find ways to support this essential need we all share. Whether it’s a relaxing body scan, a self-compassionate mental review of your day, or allowing soothing sounds to carry you back to sleep, I hope this helps you prioritize getting the best sleep possible so you can be your best self as you face each new sunrise.