Meditation includes a variety of mind and body techniques used to enter a state of relaxation.

With a long history dating back thousands of years, meditation has been gaining popularity in Western countries in recent decades and, according to statistics, is currently practiced by almost one in six American adults. Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient information for Greece.

The interest in this particular case lies in the fact that researchers are increasingly interested in the potential of meditation as a treatment for insomnia.

Since meditation for insomnia is relatively affordable, low-risk, and easy to implement, it is an attractive option for people who have difficulty accessing other types of therapy or medication.

So in this article, we will analyze everything about meditation and how practicing it can help you deal with symptoms of insomnia and other sleep disorders.

Can meditation help insomnia?

Research shows that various types of meditation can help improve insomnia, and may improve sleep quality even for those who don't have sleep problems .

Specifically, mindfulness meditation appears to improve sleep quality and reduce daytime disturbances in people with chronic insomnia and in the elderly. In the long term, these improvements may be comparable to the effects seen with sleep medication or other established methods for treating insomnia.

Like other sleep therapies, a key goal of meditation is to relieve the pressure to fall asleep.

How do meditation and mindfulness affect sleep?

Mindfulness and meditation help to achieve a relaxed state of mind that is conducive to sleep. This response is often described as the relaxation response or the opposite of the stress response.

While sleep involves a gradual reduction in arousal, insomnia is often defined as a state of overarousal. When we are stressed, depressed, or anxious, our brains remain arousal and we have difficulty falling asleep. In the long run, we perpetuate this tension as we begin to associate bedtime with the worry that we won’t be able to sleep.

The state of acceptance and awareness that meditation induces helps reduce psychological distress and improve emotional regulation. Studies in people with fibromyalgia have found that mindfulness helps patients manage anger, worry, anxiety, and depression. These researchers believe that mindfulness may improve sleep quality by providing patients with the mental resources to calm the nervous system in preparation for sleep.

On a biological level, meditation slows heart rate and breathing and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol . In the long term, the relaxation response improves insulin resistance and reduces stress-related inflammation and oxidative stress.

The exact interaction between meditation and sleep is still being researched, but it appears that meditation causes lasting changes in the brain that may affect sleep. Studies of people with meditation experience have found that they experience improvements in slow-wave sleep and REM sleep, as well as fewer sleep interruptions during the night.

How often should you meditate to treat insomnia?

Meditation is a skill, and the more often it is practiced, the greater the benefits. Studies on the relaxation response have found that meditation produces immediate psychological and physical effects, suggesting that daily practice is optimal for seeing results in that night's sleep.

Although factors such as time spent meditating and the quality of meditation are difficult to quantify, the benefits of meditation have been shown to be enhanced in long-term practitioners.

Similarly, a study on the benefits of meditation for insomnia in breast cancer patients found that these benefits disappeared after 12 months. These results suggest that the greatest benefits come from consistent meditation over a long period of time.

Are there any disadvantages to meditation?

Meditation has few side effects, but they are very rare. However, some people may experience the following:

• Physical effects: Some meditation postures can cause muscle stiffness. Movement-based meditation, in particular, may not be possible for people with physical limitations.
• Psychological effects: In rare cases, some types of meditation may worsen anxiety and depressive symptoms.
• Does not treat sleep disorders: Meditation is not a cure for sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea. These conditions should be treated with targeted interventions.
• It may not work for you: Meditation takes practice, and you may find that it takes some time to see the benefits. Additionally, several studies have found ways to counteract increased arousal during sleep after meditation, suggesting that not all types of meditation may be suitable for improving objective sleep quality.

[Read: The solution to restless legs syndrome while sleeping ]

How to meditate to improve your sleep?

To set the stage for your meditation session, start by preparing a calm environment and finding a comfortable position. When meditating before bed, you can wear your loose pajamas, dim the lights, or lie down in bed. Practicing good sleep hygiene habits and using techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can help you get the most out of meditation for insomnia.

If you are using your mobile phone or other device to listen to a guided meditation session, you can reduce distractions by turning off notifications, lowering the screen brightness, and adjusting the volume to an appropriate level.

Most meditation methods then guide their students to find a center of focus. Meditation soundtracks for insomnia may use a soothing voice, guided imagery, music, or other techniques to induce relaxation.

What types of meditation work best for sleep?

Meditation techniques for insomnia tend to incorporate elements of breathing and mindfulness, with significant overlap between methods. If you're new to meditation, you can start by talking to a therapist, downloading an app, or searching for videos online to find a relaxation exercise that works for you.

Some common meditation methods for sleep include:

• Mindfulness Meditation : Most research on meditation for insomnia has been done on mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment and accepting thoughts and feelings with an open, nonjudgmental mind.
• Guided imagery and music: Guided meditation for insomnia promotes relaxation by asking the meditator to imagine themselves in a place that calms them, such as a white sandy beach or a forest. This is often accomplished with the help of a video or audio clip.
• Body scan meditation: In body scan meditation, participants are guided to focus on different parts of the body and note any sensations of pain or tension. This is closely related to progressive muscle relaxation, in which participants actively tense and then relax each successive muscle.
• Deep breathing: Deep breathing involving the diaphragm is often used in conjunction with other meditation techniques to enhance relaxation. An example is the 4-7-8 breathing method, in which you inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and then exhale for eight seconds.

Meditative movement , such as yoga and tai chi, also has benefits for sleep quality. While these activities may be less practical to do right before bed, practicing these activities on a regular basis can reduce overall feelings of anxiety and stress and help achieve a state of relaxation at will.

Other benefits of meditation

Meditation is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce anxiety, depression, and pain.

Along the same lines, emerging research reveals potential quality-of-life benefits for patients with fibromyalgia, diabetes, breast cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome. Preliminary evidence suggests that meditation may also play a role in preventing cognitive decline, aiding smoking cessation, and lowering blood pressure.