Why It Works & How to Do It • Yoga Basics

Regular bedtime meditation practice can be a fun way to end the day and a powerful tool for improving the quality of sleep, reducing stress, calming anxiety, and letting go of negative thoughts. But it is not always easy to get into this meditative state when you are tired or stressed from a long, busy day. Fortunately, there are plenty of great tips and simple techniques out there to make bedtime meditation an easy and joyful part of your evening ritual.

Why you should meditate before bed

An evening meditation practice is a great way to improve your health, wind down the day, let go of the worries and stresses of work, and rejuvenate your body and mind. Practicing meditation in the evening is best for people who cannot accommodate practice in the morning or afternoon hours because they are too busy at home or at work. It's also great if you want to fall asleep quickly after dinner so you don't wake up all night. If you are struggling with insomnia, you can meditate before bed to help you fall asleep quickly and improve the quality of your sleep.

Benefits of meditation before bed

Meditation is a great way to relax after a long day. It trains your brain to recognize that this new habit is moving towards sleep time, and it's an easy way to send signals to your brain and body that the day is ending and it's time to get out of it relax and rest.

Meditation can help you throughout the day, not just before bed. It can help you deal with stress, anxiety, and other challenges throughout the day. Meditation helps you to be more aware of the moment, and therefore more present, even when you are not meditating.

Meditation has been shown to improve overall health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that regular practitioners experience lower blood pressure, improved immune function, reduced stress levels, increased self-confidence, better mood, and better ability to deal with pain than non-practitioners.

In addition, studies show that meditation helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. There have been over 40 research studies that found that those who practiced daily meditation and mindfulness had significantly fewer depressive episodes than those who did not. Other studies suggest that meditation reduces inflammation, which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who practiced mindfulness meditation were more likely to experience improvements in sleep quality than those in a sleep education control group. The researchers found that those who completed a 2-hour mindfulness program had less difficulty falling asleep, less fatigue and depression, and a better quality of life by the end of the 6-week program.

How does meditation help you fall asleep?

When you meditate, a number of physiological changes occur. Some of these changes will help you relax and improve your ability to sleep. Others help you regulate your autonomic nervous system and thus reduce how easily you get awakened. According to researchers, meditation likely helps by increasing serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin. It also activates parts of the brain that regulate sleep and lower heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions.

How to start meditation before bed

Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed by noise, light or other people. You may find yourself meditating at night when there is less activity around you. If possible, try to find a place free of distractions so that you don't have to worry about being interrupted while trying to relax.
Turn off all phones or devices that may bother you. So you can concentrate on yourself without having to worry about anything else.
Try relaxing music in the background like the sounds of nature like raindrops falling on the water or waves crashing against rocks. It doesn't matter what type of music is being used as long as it helps you calm down and let go of everything around you. You can even use headphones if necessary.
Choose a comfortable position. Sitting cross-legged on the floor works well because you can sit so comfortably without having to strain yourself. However, some people prefer to lie down in their beds when they fall asleep. Others like to sit in a chair. What feels right to you is likely to feel more relaxed and restful.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze. This step isn't strictly necessary, but it is helpful in clearing your mind of thoughts or visual distractions.
Just focus on one thing. The key here is to get your attention to a point of focus – no matter what – rather than being distracted by thoughts or external stimuli such as sound or light.
Breathe slowly and deeply. Do not force or create tension with your breath, but work on using a full diaphragmatic breathing pattern or other calming pranayama while meditating. Breathe through your nose and let the air flow freely into your lungs.

The best meditation techniques before bed

Choosing a meditation method before bed can be difficult. There are many options available, but you will find that only one or two will be effective for you. Not sure where to start? Take Our Yoga Quiz: What Is The Best Meditation Practice For You? If you try several and none seems to be helping, you should seek expert advice from a meditation professional or certified yoga teacher. As for choosing a particular form of meditation, here are my recommendations based on the level of difficulty and calming effect of the practice.

Mindfulness meditation
This type of meditation focuses on being aware of what is happening in each moment without judgment or attachment. Just focus on the feelings and sensations that arise in the present moment. When thoughts come to mind, acknowledge them gently, but don't let them distract you from focusing on your breath and your body.
Breath-focused meditation
This type of meditation focuses on breathing slowly, mindfully, and deeply in order to relax, feel calm, and be focused. This basic yoga meditation practice can be done anywhere, anytime. Feel free to use this technique whenever you are in bed or whenever you need to relieve stress or eliminate negative energy that builds up throughout the day.
Guided meditation
These 10 evening guided meditations will take you through various stages of relaxation and guide you through deep breathing and other calming exercises. They are perfect for beginners who want to learn to relax with ease.
Mantra chanting
A mantra is repeated over and over, like a prayer. There are many types of mantras, and repeating them helps build concentration, focus, and memory. You can also try to silently repeat your chosen mantra to yourself when trying to fall asleep.
Deep breathing exercises
Yoga has special pranayama or breathing exercises that calm and calm the mind and body. These can be used as an evening meditation practice by placing your focus on the feeling of the breath. Check out our list of 8 yoga breathing techniques for sleep.
Yoga nidra
This form of yoga involves lying still in the Savasana position. Your goal here is to eliminate negative energy and stress so that you can step into deeper states of consciousness. To do this, concentrate on your breathing and gradually relax each part of the body. It is best to use a yoga nidra recording like these YouTube videos.
Visualization
This technique uses the imagination of colors, sounds, smells, feelings – everything that makes you happy, peaceful and well. The goal is to be fully immersed in your imaginative experience.

Tips for Successful Bedtime Meditation

Just start. Once you've made a decision to learn meditation, make sure you pick something simple first. Don't worry about memorizing complicated sentences or following complex instructions. Instead, stick to basic concepts like mindfulness or focusing on your breath. Consider guided meditations – these are audio recordings where someone guides you through various techniques. Mistake on the side to make getting started as easy as possible.
Start small. Try only 5 minutes a day. Once you become comfortable with this process, increase the amount of time until you finally reach 20 minutes. Just start slowly and build from there.
When you feel ready, add another calming activity to your nightly routine. Perhaps you would like to do yoga after your deep relaxation? Or do you enjoy listening to music while you relax? Whatever works for you is fine. Remember to always end your sessions with a few moments of silence so that you can fully absorb all the positive effects of your meditation.
Remember, whatever type of meditation you choose, the key is persistence. At the same time, don't mess yourself up if you miss a session or two.
Schedule a time. Make sure you allow enough time each evening so that you don't feel rushed or forget to practice. This will also give you more motivation to incorporate it into a bedtime routine.
Create a ritual. Rituals often serve as powerful tools for relaxation because they create order and structure in our lives. They offer us something to look forward to and help us relax at the end of the day. Consider lighting candles, burning incense sticks, ringing a bell or gong, or pouring a soothing essential oil before you sit down. Make all of your meditation preparations a mindful ritual to prepare your mind for introspection.
Know what works best for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting into the zone of deep relaxation. Some people find it more relaxed when music is playing in the background, while others prefer silence or white noise from their headphones. Find out which method feels most comfortable for you and incorporate it into your practice.
If you have poor sleeping habits, don't expect that you can get better by simply adding an hour of meditation to your daily routine. You need to change some other aspects of your lifestyle if you want to improve your body's regenerative power at night. Start slowly and pay attention to any changes you notice. Over time, you should see improved quality of sleep.

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Meditating at night is a great way to end the day. It can help you fall asleep faster, improve the quality of sleep, reduce anxiety, depression, and pain. There are many different techniques that you can explore to find out what works best for your personality and experience. All in all, there is no reason why we shouldn't try a few minutes of meditation at the end of the day.

Please note: Yoga and meditation are not a substitute for adequate medical care. If you have chronic insomnia or insomnia, please consult a licensed healthcare practitioner.