Meditating For Sleep: Chopra's Guide

Deepak Chopra, a spiritual leader, alternative medicine guru, author, and public speaker, has helped thousands of people with his mindfulness techniques and guided meditations. In his guided sleep meditation, Chopra helps people overcome insomnia and settle into a deep sleep. He recommends getting eight hours of sleep each night and has a few tricks up his sleeve to help you fall asleep when your mind is racing. These include mindful breathing, retracing your steps by recapping your day, and going to bed earlier.

Mindful breathing

Step 1: Prepare Your Mind and Body

As you get ready for bed, take a moment to transition from your daily activities to a state of relaxation. You can do this by simply becoming aware of your breath. Notice the sensation of air flowing in and out of your nose or mouth. This helps you to become more present and grounded, letting go of any worries or stress from the day.

Step 2: Get Comfortable

Lie down on your back or side in your bed, assuming a position that feels natural and comfortable to you. Try to remain as still as possible, allowing your body to relax and settle into the present moment. Remember that even if you don't fall asleep right away, lying still and relaxed in bed gives your body a significant amount of rest.

Step 3: Observe Your Breath

As you lie down, continue to observe your breath without trying to control it. Simply pay attention to the inhalation and exhalation, noticing the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen. This mindful observation helps to calm your mind and slow down any racing thoughts.

Step 4: Slow Down Your Breath

Once you are focused on your breath, you can begin to slow it down. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, counting to four in your mind. Then, exhale slowly through your nose or mouth, counting to six. This technique is known as vagal breathing and helps to stimulate the body's relaxation response. By slowing down your breath, you send a signal to your heart and body that everything is calm and relaxed.

Step 5: Be Patient and Consistent

Benefits of Mindful Breathing

Using a mantra

Deepak Chopra recommends another breathing exercise that involves using a mantra – a word or phrase that you repeat to aid relaxation. This is a popular technique in yoga and other forms of meditation.

The "So Hum" mantra, derived from Sanskrit, is a powerful tool to calm your mind and help you fall asleep. To use this mantra effectively, simply inhale and exhale while reciting the words "so" and "hum," respectively.

The "So Hum" mantra is an effective way to slow down your breathing and create a sense of calm. By focusing on the words and your breath, you can clear your mind, relax your body, and prepare for a restful sleep.

Chopra suggests that this mantra can be incredibly useful when you're feeling stressed or anxious before bed. It helps to quiet the mind and can induce sleep quickly.

Combining the "So Hum" mantra with mindful breathing techniques can be a powerful way to enhance your sleep quality. By slowing your breathing and calming your mind, you create an environment conducive to sleep.

Remember, sleep is essential for your overall well-being. By incorporating the "So Hum" mantra into your bedtime routine, you can improve your sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed and energised.

Retracing your steps

Deepak Chopra's method of retracing your steps is a powerful way to relax and calm your mind before sleep. This technique is especially useful when you are feeling stressed or have a lot on your mind, helping you to unwind and prepare for a restful night.

To begin, find a comfortable position, either lying down or sitting up, and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, and as you breathe, gently count to four as you inhale, and then to six as you exhale. This mindful breathing exercise will instantly help to slow your breathing and relax your body and mind.

Once you feel calm and centred, you can start to gently replay the events of your day in your mind. Imagine that you are watching a movie of your day, projected onto the screen of your consciousness. Observe the day's events unfold, from morning until night, without judging or analysing what happened. Simply allow the memories to flow, one after the other, as you would watch a film.

As you do this, you will be letting go of any stresses or worries from the day. By observing your day in a detached, non-judgemental way, you can create distance from any challenging or difficult moments and gain a fresh perspective. This process helps to calm your mind and prepares you for a peaceful sleep, allowing you to wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to start anew.

Remember, this practice is about non-judgement and self-compassion. So, if you find your mind wandering or becoming critical, gently bring your attention back to the movie of your day, observing without judgement. With regular practice, you will find it easier to let go of the day's stresses and fall asleep more easily.

Going to bed earlier

Chopra emphasises the importance of getting eight hours of sleep each night. He himself goes to bed early, sometimes as early as 8 pm, if he has an early schedule the next day.

Going to sleep after 10 o'clock, Chopra warns, will disrupt your circadian rhythms, the body's natural internal clock that regulates how your brain cycles between being tired and being alert.

Chopra also agrees with researchers who say that using technology late at night can keep you from getting a good night's sleep. Scientific research has shown that the light from your phone might suppress your body's production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. Chopra recommends not having any technology in the bedroom, including TV, computers, and smartphones.

Chopra also recommends meditation as a way to help you fall asleep. In his guided sleep meditation, he leads people through a calming exercise to ease them into rest. He suggests lying in bed on your side or on your back and trying to be as still as possible. Even if you can't sleep, your body will still get almost the same rest as it would if it were totally asleep.

Chopra also recommends meditating twice a day, once in the morning before work, and in the early evening after work and before dinner. That way, the rest you gain from the meditation serves as a basis for the activity that follows.

Removing barriers to sleep

Deepak Chopra, a spiritual leader, alternative medicine guru, author and public speaker, has shared several tips to help you fall asleep when your mind is racing.

Chopra recommends practising mindful breathing. This involves counting to four as you breathe in and then counting to six as you breathe out. This slows your breathing and can help you relax. Another breathing exercise involves saying "so" as you inhale and "hum" as you exhale, which is known as the "So Hum" mantra derived from Sanskrit.

Chopra also suggests retracing your steps by closing your eyes and recapping the events of your day in your mind as if you were watching a movie. This will help you let go of the stresses of the day.

Going to bed earlier and avoiding late-night technology binges are also important for improving sleep. Chopra advises trying to sleep before 10 pm to avoid disrupting your circadian rhythms. He also recommends not using any technology in the bedroom, including TVs, laptops and smartphones, as the light from these devices may suppress your body's production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.

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