What is mindful meditation and how does it help with sleep?

Ashwin Mazumdar
Dozee
Published in
3 min readMay 14, 2019

What is mindful meditation and how does it help with sleep?

Sleep is one of the states of consciousness that gives much-needed rest to the physiological functions of the body to recover for the next day. Functionally, disturbed sleep leads to low attention span, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, less productivity at work and cognitive impairment while also increasing the risk for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, epileptic attacks, and inflammatory conditions. Sleep, therefore, impacts both physical and mental health and overall well-being. Positive health behaviors such as good sleep, rest, yoga, and meditation, which act as stress buffers, help reduce the harmful effects of stress on our physiological systems. Globally, yoga and meditation are gaining popularity as natural remedies to combat daily stress and experience restful sleep.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the ability to be present at the moment and be completely involved in whatever we’re doing at the moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts align with what we are sensing in the present moment.

What is mindful meditation?

Mindful meditation is a technique which requires one to focus attention on one’s breathing and then bring the mind’s attention to the present without drifting into concerns about the past or future. It helps to evoke a relaxation response. Mindful meditation helps to create a reflex that can easily usher in a sense of relaxation. Mindful meditation involves breathing practice, mental imagery, awareness of body and mind, and muscle and body relaxation.

What is meditation for sleep?

Sleep meditation can prepare the mind for a truly restful night. When we settle the mind into a restful state, the body also starts resting making it easy to drift off to a good night’s sleep. A specific guided experience, meditation for sleep is a natural sleep aid. It helps wind down and get rid of the worries that clutter the mind during bedtime. Mindful meditation helps us to lower the heart rate thereby helping the body and mind to enter sleep mode.

How to meditate?

Start by finding a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and breathe slowly, directing your attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale. If your mind starts to wander, simply bring your attention back to your breath. You might try doing it for five minutes at a time at first, gradually increasing the amount of time as you get more comfortable with the practice.

Learning meditation involves learning a new skill. Assume you are exercising a muscle that you’ve never really worked with before. It takes consistent practice to get used to meditation. Don’t worry about getting it right the first time, instead stay committed to practicing regularly.

You can use Dozee’s upcoming meditation feature every night from the comfort of your home to help you fall into a restful sleep.

To know more about how Dozee can help understand the sleeping patterns, consult us at 8884436933.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Dozee is not a medical device. It is not designed or intended for use in diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disorder or illness.

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