In the United States, anywhere from 10%-30% of adults struggle with chronic insomnia, which means even more struggle generally with their sleep. Insomnia and other sleep issues can be difficult to find relief from, as many people suffer side effects from things like melatonin or other sleep aids.
This leads us to find other methods to improve our sleep, and a somewhat recent development in the world of sleep disorders has been the benefits of regular meditation to improve sleep patterns. But why does meditation work for insomnia? And how do we know for sure that it’s effective? Below are some of our favorite reasons to bring meditation into your nighttime routine!
It’s a Dedicated Time Away From Screens
It’s no secret that screen time before bed can disrupt your natural sleep patterns. The blue light coming from our phones, TV’s, and tablets can trick our brains into thinking it’s daytime and stop our bodies from releasing the natural melatonin our body creates, keeping us up later. It’s recommended that all screens be put away at least an hour before bed, but that’s easier said than done.
Meditation is a nighttime activity that actively inhibits you from using your phone, making it a great before bed wind down. A meditation of any length before bed can help our bodies get ready for sleep and release the necessary chemicals for restful sleep.
Research Shows it as an Effective Treatment for Insomnia
According to astudy in 2015 that followed a group of people for an entire year found that consistent meditation produced a significant decrease in insomnia symptoms, depression symptoms, fatigue interference, and fatigue severity.
But even if you don’t have an insomnia diagnosis, mindfulness and meditation can still help you. According to theSleep Foundation, regardless of whether or not you suffer from a sleep disorder, a regular meditation practice can improve your sleep quality. Regardless of the severity of your sleep issues, there’s a meditation routine that could help you!
Most Meditation Apps Have a Dedicated Sleep Section
Accessibility is one of the most important aspects of whether or not a treatment practice can be helpful, and nighttime meditations are incredibly accessible. Not only are there tons of free guided sleep meditations online through YouTube, there is also a wide variety of apps that offer high quality sleep meditations.
Making meditation easy to use and easy to incorporate into your routine is the best way to ensure you’ll actually utilize the tool. The easiest way to find the sleep meditation that works best for you is to try them out! Do you prefer guided meditations? Or calming meditation music? Or maybe you’ll find you prefer to meditate without any added materials.
Because of the wide variety of meditation content online, it’s easier than ever to create a routine that best helps your sleep patterns.
