There are many factors that affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Getting enough rest can contribute to better mental and physical health, as well as reduce stress and increase your immune system’s ability to fight disease. But if you struggle with insomnia or anxiety, it can be hard to establish healthy bedtime rituals.
Fortunately, guided meditation can help you relax your mind and body so that you can fall asleep and stay asleep. Research shows that regular practice of mindfulness meditation, or “mindful awareness practice,” can improve sleep and reduce symptoms of depression, fatigue, and anxiety.
One of the most popular mindfulness teachers on YouTube, Jason Stephenson has an extensive collection of meditations and music for relaxation on his YouTube channel. His library includes everything from meditative sounds, calming affirmations for positive self-talk, and sleep-focused meditations.
The Guided Sleep Meditation is a relaxing audio meditation with soothing voice instructions to help you de-stress and get ready for sleep. The narration is slow and calming, allowing you to focus on your breathing as you listen to the meditation.
During the meditation, you are directed to move your attention from your thoughts to different parts of your body, noticing sensations in each part, such as heaviness or tension. Then, you are directed to release that feeling by letting it move past you like leaves floating down a river or clouds in the sky.
When practicing a guided sleep meditation, it is important to keep in mind that you need to be committed to the program. It is also a good idea to set aside time each day for the practice.
