Meditation in Bed
This 11-minute meditation encourages letting go of anxiety in bed and efforts to force ourselves to fall asleep.
One word of caution: Beware of using this meditation as a “tool to make me fall asleep.” Any trick we use to get to sleep can lead to anxiety about whether it’s working, and therefore can backfire. We can approach sleep emphasizing a present focus, and an acceptance that when we drift off ultimately is not in our control. Thankfully this approach does tend to make sleep more likely!
[The Most Important Way to Fight Insomnia on Psychology Today blog]
You can always practice this technique without the recording, of course.
I find myself liking bedtime meditation. I mostly use Alex Santos’ Falling to Sleep Meditation on the 10% Happier app (I don’t pay for a subscription – this one is in the “no cost” part). I rarely make it to the end of the ten minute meditation. Only a few times have I replayed it twice or three times.
I find it interesting that you mention “force yourself to sleep”. I’ve caught myself trying to “shut off” the thoughts and wishing I would fall to sleep. Since the mind is a fabulous generator of flotsam and jetsam, hearing Alexis voice mention how nice the blankets feel or getting tucked under the covers or that your job isn’t to make yourself fall to sleep.
I have found that turning NightShift on in my iOS devices has helped with cutting blue light at night. I’ll be installing f.lux on my laptop and PC now that I’m going back to school and will use those heavily. The NightShift has helped me to start feeling sleepy around 9:30.
I’m looking forward to being able to share your guided meditations page with friends who are meditation skeptics – I share only if they’ve inquired.
Suz, thanks so much for your comments. It’s helpful to move away from the idea that “I have to make myself fall asleep,” isn’t it? I also use NightShift on my iPhone and have f.lux on my laptop, and I typically am off screens at least an hour before bedtime. Thanks for sharing the guided meditations, and you’re wise to share them only with those who are interested. Sleep well. 🙂