Mindfulness for Sleep
and Physical Relaxation
Sleep is a necessary restorative process that affects all aspects of our functioning and well-being. Sleeplessness is a global epidemic that could be alleviated through mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, witnessing thoughts, gentle movement, relaxation, and daily routines. The body requires at least eight hours of sleep in a twenty-four-hour period in order for us to function optimally on all levels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tracked the phenomenon of sleep deprivation and found that the number of people sleeping less than six hours per night has steadily increased over the last few decades. This includes both sexes and people of all ages. While sleep is crucial to good health, a large proportion of the population has some type of sleep disorder.
Sleep deprivation significantly compromises our overall health. The consequences include an overall malaise, sense of tiredness, or lack of energy. As these feelings are prolonged, anxiety, depression, and chronic illness often arise. Even one night of inadequate sleep leads to irritability, memory issues, poor concentration, and decreased performance. It is common for sleep-deprived people to feel generally unwell, experience more aches and pains, and have emotional outbursts. All in all, when healthy sleep is not part of the daily routine, it steals health and joy from our lives!
Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
• Memory problems, including recall of known facts
• Trouble thinking clearly and making decisions
• Unable to consolidate information
• Difficulty focusing and maintaining attention
• Slow to learn new tasks
• More mistakes
• Tremors and muscular tension
• Increased sensitivity to pain
• Bodily aches
• Longer reaction times
• Decreased motivation
• Irritability and emotional outbursts
• Depression and anxiety
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• In extreme cases, problems with perception such as hallucinations or inability to perceive objective reality
You know you have had a good night’s rest when you awaken feeling refreshed and motivated. The emotional and cognitive issues associated with sleep deprivation are eased, and we are physically better able to perform in life. On the other hand, not enough sleep makes rising painful and sets a tone of resistance and discomfort that can carry through the remainder of the day. Because so many people live as if eight hours’ sleep per night were impossible, the idea of waking up feeling physically well and emotionally enthusiastic seems equally unfeasible. Sleep deprivation has become part of our cultural norm; feeling tired from day to day is a baseline experience for most people.
There are a number of ways we lose out on sleep. Insomnia is defined as the inability to fall or stay asleep. This can appear as trouble initiating sleep, staying asleep, moving into the restorative phase of sleep, or waking up too early. Sleep apnea (a profound interruption in breathing), sleep walking, sleep talking, and even sleep eating are also common sleep interruptions that some people experience regularly.
When asked about what is problematic for them about their sleep, people disclose a number of issues. Parents of young children found they slept far less than they did before their children were born, and spouses of people who snore have trouble staying asleep. Many people explained they wake up intermittently, toss and turn, look at the clock, go to the washroom, and lie awake worrying. Folks with a busy lifestyle or who work too much say there isn’t enough time to sleep. It is common for people to turn to medication or substance use in order to help with sleep, but then they often don’t feel rested. This is partially because substances interrupt our natural sleep cycles.
Common Reasons for Poor Sleep
• Erratic bedtime and wake time
• Disruptions from spouse
• Caring for children
• Poor sleep hygiene
• Not enough exercise
• Poor nutrition
• Not feeling safe
• Genetics
• Sleep disorders
• Busyness
• Overstimulation
• Antidepressants
• Steroids
• Decongestants
• Caffeine
• Coffee, tea, chocolate
• Alcohol
• Nicotine
• Stress
Healthy Sleep
Healthy sleep occurs in four stages, which are repeated in cycles throughout the night. Stage 1 is the transition into sleep, or the “getting comfortable” stage. Ideally, this is accounts for only 5 percent of the total sleep time; however, a common form of insomnia is the inability to fall asleep. Stage 2 is light sleep, where physiological changes such as a decrease in body temperature, muscular relaxation, and slowed heart rate occur. A whopping 50 percent of our sleep time is typically spent in stage 2 sleep. Stage 3 is deep sleep. During deep sleep the body repairs itself, fortifies the immune system, and regulates its chemistry to promote a sense of calm and well-being. Brain waves are slow. Stage 4 is an even deeper counterpart to stage 3, where the brain moves into delta waves. It is restful and restorative, aiding our immune and hormonal systems, improving healing, and offering a sense of rejuvenation when waking. Stages 3 and 4 account for 10–20 percent of our sleep time. These four stages are all considered non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep tends to begin after ninety minutes of sleep, once we have moved through the other four stages.
As the name indicates, REM sleep is characterized by rapid movements of the eyes, seen from the outside as a flickering of the eyelids as the eyeballs dart. Respiratory and heart rates, as well as brain activity, increase in REM sleep. Despite this mental and involuntary muscular activation, the voluntary muscles of the body—those that move you rather than perform bodily functions—are paralyzed. Ironically, during a time when the brain is most active, the body is most relaxed. Most of our dreams occur during REM sleep.
REM sleep is believed to help consolidate learning and memory, as well as keep the brain healthy and adaptable. When people do not get enough REM sleep, they are less able to think clearly and manage their emotions. Most REM-deprived people will have micro episodes of sleep during the day where they gaze off and their brainwaves shift into those consistent with a sleeping brain. After prolonged REM deprivation some people will hallucinate. Furthermore, the body will experience a “REM rebound” the following night, where more than the usual 20 percent of sleep time will go toward REM sleep. Despite its apparent necessity, REM sleep is not as restorative as stage 3 and stage 4 sleep.
Each night, sleep goes through a typical cycle. In the beginning we move sequentially through the first four stages of sleep into a REM cycle. Although REM sleep can last for up to ninety minutes, the first REM cycle is usually only about ten minutes long. Each time we move back into REM sleep we experience it for a longer period of time, which is why we require lengthy sleep times. Where most deep sleep (stages 3 and 4) happens in the first half of sleeping, most REM sleep occurs during the second half and alternates with stage 2 (light) sleep. It is easier to awaken from REM sleep and stage 2 sleep than it is from stages 3 or 4. The longest period of REM sleep is just before waking.
How well we sleep naturally shifts as we age. Although there is little understanding as to why, it is well-known that sleep becomes less efficient as we age. Babies spend two-thirds of their time sleeping, while adults spend less than one-third of their time asleep. Aging people experience a reduction in the depth, intensity, and continuity of sleep, including problems falling asleep and frequent awakenings. The older we get, the less REM sleep we experience. Also, we spend more time in stage 1 (transitional) sleep, so it is easier to awaken. This means that sleep is intermittent and not typically prolonged. As we age, the ability to sleep worsens while the need for sleep remains the same; thus, it is important for us to cultivate both good sleep hygiene routines and alternative strategies to rest the brain and body systems. In this way we can keep our restorative processes active and maintain good health despite greater sleep disruptions.
Sam’s Noisy Apartment
Sam lives in a busy city and used to have a great deal of trouble falling and staying asleep. There was noise from the street and adjacent apartments and his own inner chatter all keeping him awake. Sam works a high-stress job and juggles so many responsibilities that he used to have trouble keeping track of everything. The middle of the night seemed like the only time he was able to review his list and prioritize all that was required of him. Needless to say, this impinged upon the quality of his sleep.
Despite his best efforts, the long, sleepless nights began to affect Sam’s job performance to the point where his supervisors identified a problem. At first, this further contributed to Sam’s stress and insomnia; in due course, he reached out for counseling. The first thing the counselor did was teach Sam deep breathing. She explained that by moving the diaphragm with the breath, his heart and digestive organs received a massage and his brain, endocrine, and nervous systems all felt safe and relaxed. To build on these benefits, the counselor taught Sam mindfulness techniques like how to witness his thoughts and emotions without becoming involved with them and how to relax the body through mental suggestions.
The counselor also recommended that Sam establish a bedtime routine in order to train his body into a proper sleep rhythm. She let him know that a walk after work or on his lunch break could go a long way in unwinding the stress he was carrying in his body and mind. Once he was established in a bedtime routine and daily walk, she had him add in a “review of the day” practice. This allowed Sam to mindfully witness his experiences of the day and be mindful of where there was an emotional charge. From that mindfulness, he was able to apply the deep breath and conscious relaxation they had practiced, essentially removing the stress from his system via exercise and reflection rather than waiting for bedtime to do so.
The next step was to cultivate a “preview of the next day” practice, where Sam would reflect upon his upcoming tasks and duties to notice where there was stress, fear, or uncertainty. In the cases where he noticed an emotional charge, Sam mindfully accepted the emotion and strategized about how to approach the situation. Sometimes there were actions he could take and other times the best he could do was remind himself to stay calm through deep breathing and mental suggestions when the situation arose.
Once Sam made deep breathing, relaxation, exercise, and mindfulness of his daily tasks part of his routine, he found it easy to establish a bedtime routine. He no longer procrastinated going to bed, fearing all the mental stress that awaited him there. Instead, Sam enjoyed settling in with his favorite jazz music and appreciated the relaxing comfort of his bed. Sam’s bedtime routine became so effective that if he was ever out late with friends, his body would begin to fall asleep at the designated time! Sam’s work and social lives improved as a result of his mindful lifestyle choices, and his overall health was reflected in the high quality of his new sleep regimen.
Sleep Hygiene
Like Sam, there are a number of habits you can create that will support your body in establishing a routine of restorative sleep. First off, don’t spend an excessive amount of time in bed. Begin to think of your bed as sacred space. Do not read, work, or watch television in bed. You may want to consider extending this guideline to no relaxation or even napping in bed. Let your bed be a sacred nighttime space.
At the end of the day, when you get sleepy, get into bed! Trust the messages your body is sending you about when it is ready to transition into rest. You can amplify the power of your natural rhythms by creating a regular sleep/wake schedule: go to bed and rise at the same time every day. This programs the body to move into its sleep rhythms steadily, like a band following the rhythm of the drummer. The timing of your sleep can become automatic, and the body will follow the routine.
The comfort and quality of your mattress can go a long way in improving your overall rest. Ensure that the mattress is firm enough to support your spine so that the nervous system can relax; 72,000 nerves in your body are connected to the spine. When the back is comfortable, that comfort translates to the rest of the body. Be careful that the mattress is not too firm, which can impinge circulation so that you wake up due to the discomfort of pins and needles because your extremities have fallen asleep.
Everyday lifestyle routines also contribute to better sleep at night. Even a small amount of exercise during the day can lead to great improvements in sleep depth and quality overnight. Movement alleviates the stress we hold in our bodies by activating muscles and the cardiovascular system. It also provides an elevated contrast to the restful state we seek at night. Even a ten-minute walk each day can be a huge contributing factor toward better sleep at night.
Proper nutritional intake, including a wealth of vegetables, supports the body in feeling healthy so that when it is time for sleep it has many of its other physical needs met. Do not, however, eat big meals before bed, as the body then spends its energy digesting rather than restoring. Also avoid caffeine, sugar, and nicotine at least four to six hours before going to bed. Many people cut off their caffeine intake by noon. Ensure that you are hydrated, otherwise dry mouth or the physiological stress of dehydration may awaken you in the night. Be careful not to drink too much before bedtime, though, as frequent trips to the bathroom are also disruptive!
Bedtime routines are a key piece in healthy sleep. Develop a bedtime routine that includes a relaxation period before bed. For most people, their bedtime routine includes turning off all electronics at least one hour before bed. Limit media interference like upsetting news programs and violent imagery. Blue screens and their flashing light, such as on monitors, televisions, and small, detailed screens like those on tablets and smartphones, activate the brain and nervous system. Thus, they disrupt the circadian rhythm and interfere with the relaxation and slowing down that would naturally occur near bedtime. For similar reasons, many people begin dimming the lights near bedtime to promote the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleeping cycles. Physical hygiene like washing the face, brushing and flossing teeth, and a soothing bath are a welcome part of a bedtime routine. Many people drink herbal tea to further calm the nerves. It is recommended that we go to bed by 10 pm to gain a higher quality of rest.
Personal Reflection for Sleep Hygiene
A sleep journal can be an effective way of learning about your sleeping habits. Over time, it can bring to light factors that you were previously unaware of or had not considered to be damaging to your sleep. Note the variability in your bedtime, when you fall asleep, when you wake up (for the day as well as the number of intermittent awakenings through the night), the total time spent sleeping in that twenty-four-hour period, the quality of your sleep, your worries, and any of the lifestyle factors mentioned above such as routines, stress, substance use, nutrition, exercise, and so on.
By tracking your sleep habits and relating them to simple logs about your lifestyle and routines, you may identify contributing factors to your sleep problems. It also gives you a place to vent your worries so that they do not consume your mind once you go to bed. Writing down all of your worries—and any potential solutions—can alleviate underlying mental stress. This way, your worries are less likely to keep you awake or haunt your dreams.
To begin your sleep journal, you may ask yourself the following questions. After three or four weeks, repeat this line of questioning and relate it to any changes in your sleep routine and quality.
• What else do I do in my bedroom besides sleep? Are any of these activities disruptive to sleep? Do any of them support a better sleep at night?
• Do I tend to go to sleep and get up at the same time each day?
• Do I get any exercise or gentle movement during the day?
• How is my breathing throughout the day?
• Do I take anything to help me sleep, such as medication, alcohol, supplements, or the like?
• Do I take anything that might disrupt my sleep, such as nicotine, junk food, caffeine, or the like?
• Do I eat too much before bed?
• Do I turn off my electronics an hour or two before bedtime?
• Do I go to bed when I am tired? If no, why not?
• Do I have a semblance of a bedtime routine? What is it? What would an ideal bedtime routine look like?
• Thinking about these answers, what is one thing I can easily adapt right now that may help improve my sleep?
There may be other questions you have for yourself about your sleep and lifestyle habits. Allow your sleep journal to follow your curiosity. Use it as a chance to become more mindful and learn about yourself. As insights arise, you can make small, everyday adaptations to your routines and choices that will go a long way in supporting your improved sleep.
Mindful Yoga Postures for Healthy Sleep
Movement is a routine that greatly improves sleep. If possible, spend five to ten minutes practicing a few light yoga postures as part of your bedtime routine. By spending time paying attention to the shape your body is making, as well as how it feels to stretch and relax, you are soothing your mind. When practiced at bedtime, these simple, mindful movements can attune you to your sleepiness and affirm the body’s need for rest. By the end of the sequence, if your mind stays focused on the breath and the postures, you may be well on your way to dreamland.
The following sample sequence promotes full-body relaxation. It is designed to quiet the nervous system in order to prepare the body to fall into a deep, restful sleep more easily. It will work best if you make it part of your bedtime routine. Consistent daily experiences are very comforting for the mind.
You may perform each posture only once or repeat them each three to five times. You may also do the entire sequence from beginning to end, then repeat it and notice how much more relaxed you are the second time through. It is best to do these postures on the floor in the bedroom, then move into the bed with little disruption once the postures are complete. You may follow the yoga postures with a mindful relaxation exercise in bed.
Upward Reaching Pose (Urdhva Hastasana): Stand up tall and straight. You may put your heels, seat, shoulders, and head against a wall to ensure a correct posture, which may feel strange at first, especially to computer users. Inhale and extend arms up to the sky, doing your best to keep biceps beside ears and shoulders relaxed as the lift comes from the underarm space. You may exaggerate the lift in the chest and elongate the abdomen while holding the lower back stable as you breathe deeply. Feel a sense of upliftedness.
Standing Side Bend: Place feet wider than hip-width apart and protect back by keeping hips square, not pushed out to the left or the right as you bend. On an exhale bend into the soft part of your waist, shortening the distance between the side of the lowest rib and hip while keeping the core muscles engaged. Feel the lifted side of your rib cage open, allowing a deeper breath. You may raise your top arm to increase the stretch. If you hold the posture, be sure that your breath is flowing deeply while the core remains engaged. Inhale back to center and repeat on the other side for the same length of time.
Restorative Forward Bend: Come to a seated position. Place the soles of the feet on the floor and bend the knees toward the chest so you are seated in what looks like a loose fetal position. Ensure that ankles, knees, and hips are in alignment with each other. Exhale and spread the front of the body over the front of the thighs, resting your forehead on the knees. You may fold your arms on the knees to create a pillow for the head; otherwise, rest them alongside the legs. Feel your entire body relaxing with each exhale. Hold for roughly five breaths to give the muscles and mind sufficient time to relax, then roll up gently with the help of your arms.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Lie down on the back with the lower body in the same position as in the previous posture: ankles and knees hip-width apart, with the feet planted close to the buttocks and the knees pointing into the air. Ensure that your feet and knees remain in line with the hips through the entire pose rather than collapsing them in or out. Inhale and roll the pelvis and lower back upward, rooting the posture into the strength of the core and legs. Hold for a comfortable time, breathing regularly, or roll up with each inhale and down with each exhale.
Reclined Half Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana): Extend each arm to each side at shoulder height, hands in line with shoulders. To protect your back, keep feet on the floor at all times; otherwise, knees can go right into chest. Exhale the legs to the left and ensure that the feet are supported by the earth. If you are free from neck issues, turn your face lightly to the right (in the opposite direction of the knees). With practice, thighs may come to a right angle to the torso and both shoulders may rest on the floor. Surrender into the support of the ground. Postures that revolve the spine increase circulation there and help regulate the nervous system, thereby preparing the body for sleep. Relax the forehead and abdomen to amplify this effect. Repeat the posture on the other side.
The practice of these mindful movements helps soothe your body’s systems and prepare you for deeper rest. You can amplify the benefits of the yoga postures if you follow them with a relaxation like the one below.
Mindful Relaxation
For most people the condition of the nervous system (fight-flight-or-freeze mode versus rest-and-digest mode) is predominantly unconscious. It is not a typical thing for folks to focus on regulating the nervous system unless they have realized it is causing them problems, for example in the cases of anxiety or insomnia. It is a straightforward thing to balance the nervous system but not always easy to remember or implement. Breath and movement are two of the simplest ways to bring about the relaxed alertness that is indicative of a regulated nervous system.
The most effective way of balancing the nervous system is via the breath. Rapid breathing focused in the upper chest wakes us up, usually to the point of feeling hyper-alert and agitated. Slow, deep breathing calms us. As the breath, so the mind. Movement is another means of balancing the nervous system. Vigorous exercise burns off excess stress and anger. Moderate movement and stretching is soothing yet enlivening.
After a day where deep breathing and some exercise have occurred, the body is more prepared for sleep. You can further this effect by mindfully relaxing the nervous system at bedtime. Whether you perform the yoga postures above or not (we recommend that you do), when you go to bed perform a mindful relaxation. This eases the nervous system and other bodily systems and relaxes the body and mind, preparing you for a deep, restful sleep.
Begin the mindful relaxation by slowly scanning your body from the toes to the top of your head (or head to feet), all the while observing a slow breath. This scanning is a process of bringing mindful, nonjudgmental, relaxed awareness to whatever part of the body you are paying attention to. Calmly bring a feeling of calm, heaviness, or lightness to each area as you become aware of it. If you are still awake after scanning the whole body, pause for a moment or two to integrate and appreciate the feeling of being relaxed. If you are not feeling drowsy, you may repeat the scan. Witness the tense parts relaxing a bit more on each subsequent scan. You possess a deep potential for relaxation. The more mindful you are of it, the more natural deep sleep will feel. Furthermore, if you can’t sleep, deep relaxation activates the body’s restorative processes in a similar way.
Mindfulness Strategies for Rest
If you awaken too early or cannot fall asleep when you go to bed, remain mindful of the importance of rest. Simply closing your eyes and relaxing the body as in the previous exercise can compensate for most of the wakefulness. Do your best to accept the wakefulness rather than count the hours until you have to get up. Becoming upset, frustrated, or stressed increases tension and interferes not only with the potential sleep you could enjoy but also the present potential for rest. Your mindful acceptance of the situation removes the stress. Use the time to practice mindful breathing, relaxation, or prayer in the night. Quiet activities like reading spiritual or other inspirational materials, listening to relaxing music, or following a guided visualization can also help prepare the body and mind for sleep.
In the case where you have been lying awake for more than twenty minutes, it may be best to get out of bed, especially if you are becoming agitated by your wakefulness. Keep the lights dim in the house but leave the bedroom and perform a quiet, boring activity such as washing dishes or knitting. Avoid anything activating, fun, or stimulating. Watching television, surfing the Internet, and playing video games profoundly interfere with sleep, as the blue screens and flashing lights stimulate the brain and carry you further from rest. Instead, do something that conserves your energy and helps you feel drowsy.
After twenty minutes or so, return to bed. You may practice the mindful movements proposed earlier, very slowly and gently, or perform the mindful relaxation. You can try lying on your right side so the left nostril, whose dominance is associated with quietude, draws more air. Focus the mind on slow, deep breathing or a single uplifting thought to help drift off to sleep. If you become more wakeful while lying down in bed, repeat the process. In this way you are avoiding associating the bedroom with frustration and wakefulness. Ultimately, it is most important to remain mindful of a sense of rest during the hours that you are meant to be sleeping, whether you are actually asleep or not. Amanda’s story below speaks to the dangers of avoiding rest.
Amanda’s Sleep Recovery Story
For most of my early life I was a good sleeper; in fact, I slept so well and so often that my over-sleeping was discovered to be one of my biggest migraine headache triggers. Things changed sometime in my early thirties, and I started waking up in the middle of the night and was unable to fall back asleep. As would any type-A person, at first I welcomed the extra time to get things done. There was never enough time in the day; I was busy, busy, busy! This insomnia thing was a gift! Until one morning when driving to work at 70 mph on the highway, I thought I saw a polar bear (which didn’t occur to me to be impossible because I was so tired) and swerved to avoid hitting it. Thankfully, there was no car in the lane next to me and I recovered from the swerve intact and with a keen awareness that I had a serious problem on my hands. I went to see my primary care doctor who (surprisingly) talked to me about good sleep hygiene and recommended meditation practice or guided relaxation CDs at bedtime. I thanked her very much and asked instead for prescription sleep medicine (I didn’t have the patience for all of that other stuff). And so, because I essentially chose to mask the real problem, for the next eight years I continued to struggle with insomnia.
Fast-forward to more recent years. I took yoga lessons at home with a teacher who focused on connecting to the spiritual aspects. Although I was still struggling with insomnia most nights, I began to notice that after my weekly lessons, I was almost always able to fall right to sleep after the teacher left. I was intrigued by the impact of mindful yoga practice on my ability to sleep but didn’t quite appreciate the deeper, broader significance for some time. As time went on, however, I became more curious about the spiritual aspects and made a commitment to myself to learn more.
For the last three months I have been learning about and exploring mindful yoga as a way of living. I’ve learned about the often problematic ego, about nonattachment and faith and true presence. I’ve learned that all of the turmoil that used to keep me wound up all day and up all night was just a story, a story that I had been told, a story that I had adopted. Now, I’ve started to watch the story rather than live it (sometimes with great amusement). I am learning to surrender and accept what is and to appreciate all of the gifts that are right in front of my eyes all day, every day. I didn’t expect to have a daily yoga pose practice or to read scriptures before bed each night, but now I find this to be one of the most critical parts of my day. Sure enough, unexpectedly, I have started sleeping again...on my own. I haven’t taken a single sleeping pill in over a month, which is by far the longest break I have had from them since I started taking them so many years ago. I sleep soundly. I have dreams again. I can get up to soothe my daughter after she has a nightmare and fall right back asleep, no problem. At times this shift has felt nothing short of magic, but when I settle in at night to poses, reading scriptures, or meditating and I more fully connect with my true self, I can see that it’s not magic at all, it’s just the truth.
As in Amanda’s case, many of us forget how vital sleep is for a healthy body and mind. Few of us are mindful about cultivating efficient sleep. Many of us think that sleep is simply the absence of wakefulness, something easy and automatic, so we don’t prepare for sleep the same way we do for other daily tasks. It is wise, instead, to relax physically and emotionally before trying to sleep rather than merely drifting off with a tense body and busy mind. The stress that pervades the mind and body during the day does not disappear when the head hits the pillow. Yoga’s common-sense philosophy says that relaxation, meditation, and deep breathing are essential for deep sleep. But by the time you work, exercise, eat well, and socialize, it may seem like there is not much time for mindfulness practices. You can, however, pick one centering routine that you enjoy before sleeping. Whether you reflect on the day, read a spiritual book, or meditate, perform this activity with a prayerful attitude and breathe deeply at that time. By clearing your mind, you transform stress at its root cause in the mind. View this relaxation time as a special gift to your soul.
When living a mindful lifestyle, we approach every activity with purpose. It is vital that we take a pure approach to sleep, focusing on concentration and intention. When the breath is deep, the body is fully relaxed, and the mind is calm and focused, the physiological actions of restorative sleep proceed unhindered.
[Contents]