Beditation: The Morning Mindfulness Ritual

Meditation has been proven to promote healthy sleep and can be done anywhere and at any time. Meditating in bed can be a great way to unwind, relax, and prepare your mind and body for a good night's sleep. It can help you transition from the busyness of daily life to a state of relaxation, calming the excessive thoughts that often keep us from resting.

Meditation is a simple practice that requires no special tools or equipment. You can sit or lie down in bed, whichever feels most comfortable. If you want to fall asleep soon after your meditation, lying down makes more sense so you're not waking yourself up to get into bed.

There are several types of meditation that can help you sleep better, including mindfulness meditation, body scan meditation, and visualization meditation. These techniques encourage you to focus on your breath, be aware of your body, and let go of the day's worries.

By incorporating meditation into your bedtime routine, you can promote relaxation, improve your sleep quality, and enhance your overall sleep hygiene.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is the foundation of meditation. By focusing on our breath, we can cultivate mindfulness and reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. Here are some breathing exercises to try while lying in bed:

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, involves deep, diaphragmatic breaths that trigger relaxation responses in the body. To do this, place your hands on your belly, just below the navel. As you inhale, let your belly soften and expand, and as you exhale, let your belly sink towards your spine. This type of breathing can be performed sitting up or lying on your back.

4-7-8 Breathing

This technique involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. It is a form of pranayama, or breath regulation, commonly practised in yoga. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety and promote sleep.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This Hindu practice, also known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, involves breathing through one nostril at a time while manually closing the other. It is a gentle exercise that facilitates alternate breathing and airflow.

Ujjayi Pranayama

Also known as the "victorious breath," this technique generates an audible "haaa" sound on the exhale. It is recommended to practise this while sitting up. Inhale through your nose, and as you exhale, contract your throat to make the sound.

Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT)

BBT is a form of nasal breathing retraining developed by a Ukrainian doctor named Konstantin Buteyko. It is beneficial for those with asthma or panic attacks. This technique focuses on creating "air hunger" to normalize breathing by relaxing the diaphragm.

Laughter Yoga

Laughter is said to be the best medicine. This playful technique involves intentional, manufactured laughter. It has been found to uplift mood, improve respiratory function, improve circulation, and lower stress levels.

Remember, it is normal for your mind to wander during these exercises. Simply notice that your thoughts have drifted and gently bring your attention back to your breath. With regular practice, you will find it easier to focus, and you will be able to cultivate mindfulness and reduce stress and anxiety.

Mindful body scanning

• Lie down on a comfortable and preferably firm surface, like a mat or blanket on the floor. Allow your body to relax and sink into the ground beneath you.
• Close your eyes and bring your awareness to the sensations of your body on the ground. Notice the texture of the surface against your skin, the weight and warmth of your body, and the feeling of your clothes.
• Bring your attention to your breath. Feel the rising and falling of each inhalation and exhalation. You can imagine that you are anchoring yourself to your breath, gently riding the waves of air moving in and out of your body.
• On an outbreath, release your focus on the breath and shift your attention to your left leg, moving down to your left foot, and resting in your left big toe.
• Notice any sensations present in your left big toe. Observe without judgement and let them be. If no sensations are present, notice what that absence feels like.
• Synchronize your sensing with your breath by breathing "into" your left big toe on the inhalation and breathing "out from" the toe on the exhalation.
• Move your attention to each of the other toes on your left foot, giving each a few moments of attention. Notice how the experience changes as you move your focus.
• Open your awareness to the top of your left foot and then bring your attention to the bottom of your foot and the heel.
• Gradually move your attention up through your left leg (ankle, lower leg, knee, etc.), observing any sensations that arise.
• Repeat the process with your right leg, moving your attention from the right big toe up through the foot and leg.
• Gently and carefully continue this process, working your way through your hips, pelvic region, back, shoulders, arms, hands, belly, chest, neck, and head.
• When you notice your mind wandering, gently acknowledge it and bring your attention back to the sensations in the region of your body you are currently focusing on. Practice kindness, patience, and conscious choice in these moments.
• Experiment with both a wider and narrower focus of attention. For example, focus closely on a particular body part like a finger, and then expand to a wider perspective, such as your entire back or head.
• After scanning your entire body, open your attention to notice all the sensations in your body. Imagine breathing into your whole body with each inhalation and breathing out from your whole body with each exhalation.
• Rest in this open awareness for several moments before opening your eyes, stretching, and gently getting up. Try to maintain this sense of whole-body awareness as you move through the rest of your day.

Remember, the goal of a body scan is not to relax or feel calm, but to incline your mind into a sensory experience and explore what arises. Each time you practice, you strengthen your mindfulness muscles, improving your ability to pay attention and be aware of the present moment.

Visualisation techniques

Colour Breathing:

• Choose a colour that you find soothing or like.
• Get comfortable and close your eyes.
• Breathe slowly and deeply, visualising the chosen colour with each inhalation as it washes over your body from head to toe.
• Imagine any unwanted emotions leaving your body and being replaced by the chosen colour with each exhalation.

Compassion Meditation:

• Begin by getting into a comfortable position and closing your eyes.
• Focus on your breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly.
• Visualise a person you want to extend compassion to—it can be yourself, a loved one, or even a pet.
• Think about how you feel about them and imagine challenges or pain they might be facing.
• Focus on feelings of peace, calm, joy, healing, or happiness, and picture them as a golden light moving from your heart to theirs.
• You can also verbalise these feelings in the form of a mantra, such as "May I/you find peace and happiness."

Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

• Lie on your back on a comfortable surface.
• Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
• Start by tensing and relaxing a group of muscles that aren't causing you trouble.
• Work your way through different muscle groups in your body, tensing them as you inhale and relaxing them as you exhale.
• Visualise the tension leaving your body with each exhalation.

Guided Imagery:

• Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
• Slow your breathing to a calming, relaxing rhythm.
• Visualise a place where you feel calm and content, using your senses to add detail to the image.
• Imagine yourself moving into the scene, feeling more peaceful and harmonious.
• With each inhalation, imagine peace and harmony entering your body, and with each exhalation, visualise exhaustion, tension, and distress leaving.

Goal Visualisation:

• Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
• Visualise yourself achieving a specific goal, adding as much detail as possible.
• Focus on your location, the people around you, and your emotions.
• If doubts arise, combat them with a positive mantra such as, "I can do this" or "I have faith in myself."

Gratitude meditation

Meditation has been shown to improve cognitive function and increase grey matter in the brain. It can also lower stress and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. One form of meditation that can be done while still in bed is gratitude meditation. This type of meditation involves reflecting on the things in life that an individual is grateful for. It can be done at any time of the day and can help to improve sleep quality and duration.

How to Practice Gratitude Meditation While Still in Bed

First, find a calming spot in your house with no distractions or disturbances. If you like, play some calming music in the background. Get yourself into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Take a few deep breaths to begin settling in. As you breathe in, calm yourself, and as you breathe out, remove all thoughts.

Now, think of three things from your day that you are grateful for. These can be small things, such as a sunny day or a cozy nook on a rainy day. For each thing, focus on the feeling of gratitude and really feel it. Take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, softly say "thank you".

Benefits of Gratitude Meditation

Research shows that gratitude is strongly associated with a greater sense of happiness and well-being. Counting our blessings increases optimism, relieves depression, improves immune function, and lowers blood pressure. It can also help to reduce anxiety and feelings of isolation by shifting our perspective and opening up our minds, allowing us to move away from negative thoughts.

Progressive muscle relaxation

PMR was developed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s and 1930s and is based on his premise that mental calmness is a natural result of physical relaxation. The technique can be learned by almost anyone and requires only 10 to 20 minutes per day to practice.

• Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down. Remove your shoes and wear loose, comfortable clothing.
• Take 5 slow, deep breaths before you begin.
• Focus on a specific muscle group, such as your left hand.
• Take a slow, deep breath and squeeze the muscles as hard as you can for about 5 seconds. Try to isolate the muscle group and only tense the target muscles.
• Exhale and suddenly release the tension in the muscle group.
• Focus on the changes you feel when the muscle group is relaxed. You may find it helpful to use imagery, such as imagining that stressful feelings are flowing out of your body.
• Repeat the tension and relaxation process with different muscle groups, gradually working your way up the body. Common muscle groups to target include the feet, legs, hands, arms, buttocks, stomach, chest, neck, shoulders, mouth, eyes, and forehead.
• After completing all the muscle groups, take some time to enjoy the deep state of relaxation.

It is important to note that you should not strain or overly tense your muscles during PMR. Creating a little bit of tension is sufficient to increase awareness of tension in the body and the relaxation that occurs when muscles are released. Avoid holding your breath while tensing, as this can cause stress. Instead, synchronize your breath with your movements by inhaling during tension and exhaling during relaxation.

PMR is a simple and effective technique for reducing stress and improving relaxation. With regular practice, it can help you become more aware of tension in your body and improve your ability to recognize and release stress.

Frequently asked questions