Meditation, Sleep, Rest and Energy

Several meditation practices can have a hugely beneficial effect on our sleep, rest and energy. 

Mindfulness, Sleep and Rest

Mindfulness, of course, is an opportunity for us to rest our minds. All living beings need to recover from expending energy. We spend so much energy multitasking, focusing intensely, and problem-solving in the modern world that our minds need that opportunity for rest.

Calm Mind, Calm Body

The calm mind, of course, feeds into a calm body.

Breathing Practices

The breathing practices, of course, are designed to move our physiology into relaxation from the stress we often feel. This can be a significant aid to sleep and sleep quality.

Yoga Nidra

In addition, there's a set of practices known as yoga nidra. Yoga Nidra meditations are mainly an exploration of the semi-dream state that we drift into as we drift off to sleep, known as hypnagogia.

Obviously, being able to initiate this state assists us in initiating sleep.

Using Yoga Nidra to Recover from Sleep Deprivation

Some Yoga Nidra practices that my students and I use help us recover from sleep deprivation during the day. About 15 minutes of Yoga Nidra can help you feel like you've had a 90-minute power nap.

Mantra Meditation

Another branch of meditation that helps to work with a busy mind that doesn't want to sleep is mantra. This is the repetition of statements in the mind using the inner voice. We can become so focused on the mantra that the inner narrative is tuned out.

Practising this distracts and calms the mind. It is also helpful for new meditators.

Comprehensive Toolkit

Combining these practices and a few more amounts to a really significant toolkit that can benefit anybody's sleep and rest and help them gain energy.