 Know anyone who can’t sleep after scary movies? Do you think dream all night about whatever is bothering you? Dream about it?
The truth is that many people find that what they are doing or thinking before drifting off affects their sleep, their dreams or even how they wake up the next morning.
So, what if there was a way to sweep away built up tension and sleep soundly? Pre-sleep meditation techniques may be the key to dramatically improving your nights and your mornings.
Why does what we’re thinking before bed influence us so much? It’s simple: the barrier between the conscious and unconscious mind is the weakest during sleep. It’s the sub-conscious that fills our nights with dreams, after all.
This means that what we watch, think, hear or feel right before sleep slips more easily and deeply into the unconscious mind than anything else. Whatever enters the mind before slumber will likely be processed, at some level, over the entire night. The moods and thoughts of the previous evening can then also affect what we feel and think as we roll out of bed the next day. It’s important to be aware of what we put in our brains as we start winding down: whatever gets in will be processed sub-consciously for the 6 to 8 hours most people sleep!
Ready to take a positive state to bed with you? The activity below may help set your night right!
Gift Counting
- Lying down on your bed, close your eyes and take three slow, deep breaths.
- Now, think back to something during your day, any little event or moment, that you enjoyed or appreciated.
- Think of that moment, and what you enjoyed about it.
- Now, think of all the things that went into making that one enjoyable moment happen.
- Feel thankful for it all.
- If you find yourself thinking about other things, notice the game that your mind is trying to play with you, and gently return to your enjoyable moment.
- After a minute, you may even find yourself smiling, having recreated the moment of enjoyment internally.
- Now, think back to another moment that you enjoyed the day before. Consider what you enjoyed about that moment.
- Repeat the steps: feel grateful for the event, thank it, and appreciate all the unique components that made it possible.
- When you are ready, seek out yet a third moment that you enjoyed or appreciated.
- Repeat the steps.
- You’ve now revisited three pleasures that life has offered you.
- You recognize them as gifts.
- If you are enjoying the revisiting of these gifts, be aware of the feeling and express thanks for the moment.
- You are now ready to sleep, in touch with your positive self, knowing that the universe has more gifts waiting for you.
Sleep and wake well! |
