I decided to start meditating 30 mins before going to bed. I wanted to see if that would make a difference and I was surprised at what I found. I meditated 3 nights in a row and I could not remember falling asleep once I laid down, but the next thing I knew my alarm was going off and I was in the same position I was in when I laid down. No waking up in the night or tossing and turning. I even found Willow sleeping by my legs. The fourth night I was so tired I just went straight to bed with no meditating first. It was a rough night for me. I woke up numerous times and could not get comfortable. The fifth night I mediated again and had the same results as the first 3 nights. It is truly amazing what mediating can do for you.
You will find there are many different ways to meditate. I will share how I do it, but find what works best for you because everyone is different.
Meditation is a great tool to help relieve stress, physical health, sleep better, feel more peaceful and happier.
When I first started to meditate it was hard to shut the mind off. When beginning just let it happen. Acknowledge the thought then try and quiet the mind. Continue this until before you know it your mind will be quiet. I think in some ways it fights this process. I have found in this short time it helps you work through the junk (that needs to be thrown away in your mind) and helps you find thoughts or memories that have more value.
Find a place where you can just relax, I choose to meditate on my bed, but if you have a partner you may need to do this in another room or get them to join in with you. I keep my posture straight and my head up. It helps keep me in the moment.
It is up to you if you want to keep your eyes open or closed. I prefer closed as it helps me to center my mind and stay focused. You can also use your breath as a way to stay focused. Pay attention to the breath coming in and going out. It will help to calm you and keep you present.
I live in an apartment so there are a lot of noises around. Some like to meditate with the noises and work on shutting them out. I prefer to listen to meditation music (I search on YouTube for meditation music) on a very low setting. I don’t want it to drown out my thoughts, but it is like an anchor to keep me focused in the moment. There hits a point I actually stop hearing the music.
I meditate for 20-30 minutes. If you can only start at 10 minutes that is perfectly fine. I pick music that could go for an hour and when I feel I am done and ready to go to sleep I look to see how long I actually did focus on my wellbeing. It varies from night to night and that is fine as I am listening to my body.
Miklyn