How can sleep meditation help?

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There are many root causes for insomnia and understanding why you are not sleeping is the most important first step. 

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There may be psychological stressors at play such as anxiety (and paradoxically anxiety about not sleeping), depression, unresolved past trauma.

 

Or lifestyle can wreak havoc with sleeping patterns too - too much stress, poor diet, lack of exercise will all affect your sleep patterns.

 

Perhaps there is a physical fluctuation in your body that is causing insomnia, for example hormonal shifts following childbirth and during the peri-menopause, or dehydration has a big impact on your sleep quantity and quality.

 

Are you breathing properly? This simple breathing check in will remind your body of the optimum way to breathe. 

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Or maybe environmental factors such as season change or lack of morning circadian rhythm setting sunlight are keeping you awake at night.

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So my first place to start when addressing insomnia is to tune in to your own body. Become acutely and mindfully aware of your own body and how it reacts to certain situations. Get to know yourself on a deeper level - the answer to beating your insomnia is hidden within your symptoms - it's your body's way of getting your attention that something needs addressing. So look closely and notice what you find.  And also understand that you have the power within you to heal yourself.

 

Mindfulness is a great way to start this process. Not only will you become more in tune with your body and your breath but it also gives you a mental firebreak to those uncomfortable feelings of insomnia. And when you have a created a moment of mental stillness, tools and ideas to help you will fall into your lap.

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The next stage is to find a sleep meditation that suits you. Meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce cortisol and adrenalin (the stress hormones) and increase melatonin production (the sleep hormone). It engages your parasympathetic nervous system which is your rest and digest mode and allows your mind to slip into an altered conscious state where alpha brain waves (the brain waves that are present when you are deeply relaxed) are dominant. 

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My meditation teacher once told me that 20 minutes meditation = 1.5 hours sleep and for me, that was so powerful because even though I wasn't getting much sleep at the time, I had a tool which enable me to put my mind into a deep state of rest. It was really incredible and a complete game changer. 

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If you would like to find out how I can help you, please do give me a call on 07786 315314 or email becca@cloudsevenmeditation.com. 

 

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