How to get better sleep with meditation
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Meditation can help you fall asleep more easily, sleep more deeply, and stay asleep longer. Learn 5 meditation techniques for better sleep and why they work.
In a world bustling with constant demands and digital distractions, the pursuit of quality sleep can feel like an insurmountable challenge. So many of us hoping to get good rest instead find ourselves lying in bed with a head full of thoughts that refuse to relent.
These kinds of thought spirals can be a real pain, taking you further away from the sleep you deserve. Luckily all hope is not lost. Implementing a regular meditation practice can offer a pathway to relaxation and improved sleep.
Unwinding from a busy day isn’t easy but the research is clear — mindfulness and sleep meditation can really help. When we get into bed with our to-do lists still reeling through our minds, sleep meditation gives our mental processes a rest, calming the nervous system of the body and creating the conditions for sweet, deep, natural sleep.
How to meditate for better sleep
Numerous studies have highlighted the power of meditation in improving sleep quality. Meditation induces physiological changes in the body such as lowered heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and the release of neurotransmitters that promote relaxation. These shifts set the stage for restful sleep.
Regular meditation has been linked to a decrease in sleep onset latency (which is the time it takes to fall asleep), increased sleep duration, and an overall enhancement in sleep satisfaction. While you don’t have to meditate at night in order to receive these benefits, implementing a sleep-centered meditation practice before bed can help reduce sleep latency, sending you off to dreamland faster.
Sleep meditations are practiced with the intention of soothing the body and mind into sleep through deep, progressive relaxation. They can be done in the hours leading up to bedtime, or right as you lay down as part of your falling asleep routine.
While many like to use a guided practice, you can also explore these simple mindfulness prompts on your own:
Notice your in-breath
Notice your out-breath
Notice the sensations in your body
Allow thoughts to come
Allow thoughts to go
Return to noticing your breath
While these steps are simple, they aren’t always easy. That’s okay! Improving, and maintaining, a sleep meditation practice takes… well, practice. Once you get into the swing of things you’ll begin teaching your brain to relax so that you can more easily settle into sleep.
💙 Try Soothing the Body for Rest to help ease your mind and body into sleep.
Falling back to sleep with meditation
For some, falling asleep isn’t so difficult, it’s falling back to sleep that’s hard.
Meditation can help here too. If you wake up in the middle of the night, a body scan meditation — where you notice and relax each part of your body from head to toe — will calm your mind and encourage a gentle return to sleep.
You might also practice a breathing meditation, counting your breaths instead of sheep (“one breath in, one breath out … two breaths in, two breaths out …”). Hopefully, you’re back to sleep before you get to double digits.
If you’d like a little more support, there are also guided sleep meditations designed to help you gently fall back into sleep.
Here are some additional tips if you find yourself up at night:
Try to relax: One of the biggest obstacles when trying to fall back to sleep is the tension and restlessness you may be feeling. Since we know that meditation promotes relaxation, it’ll help you to calm your nervous system, release muscle tension, and slow down any racing thoughts that might be keeping you awake.
Meditate to reduce anxiety: Meditation can be an effective way to manage anxiety and worry, which also contributes to sleep disturbances. By focusing your attention on the present moment and letting go of anxious thoughts, meditation can help you create a calm environment in your mind which will be more conducive to sleep.
Try to quiet the mind: Racing thoughts and mental chatter can be super frustrating when you can’t sleep. Meditation practices teach you to observe your thoughts without judgment and then gently guide your mind back to a state of relaxation. This skill is invaluable when you wake up in the middle of the night and need to quiet your racing brain so you can fall back to sleep.
Breathe deeply: Many meditation techniques emphasize mindful breathing, which can have a direct impact on your body’s relaxation response. Deep, slow breathing can slow your heart rate, reduce stress hormones, and prepare your body for sleep, especially techniques like 4, 7, 8 breathing.
Start meditating with Calm
Begin meditating to sleep with a 7-session guided meditation series in the Calm app. It’s called 7 Days of Sleep.
Each session is about 14 minutes and includes a simple mindfulness teaching from our Head of Mindfulness Tamara Levitt, as well as a guided meditation designed to help you fall asleep naturally, or reset your sleep schedule if you feel like it’s off.
Sleep meditation: 5 techniques for better sleep
One of the best ways to use meditation for sleep is to add it to your nighttime routine. By adding a meditation practice as you wind down each night, you’re creating a habit and also building space for it each day.
Making meditation a regular practice is much easier if you find a practice that you like. Just like any activity that’s good for us, like working out or eating our veggies, it’s best when we like what we’re doing. Here are some simple, yet effective options for you to explore.
1. Mindfulness meditation
This technique involves cultivating present-moment awareness without judgment. By observing thoughts and sensations as they arise, you create distance from the stressors that often plague your mind at bedtime.
💙 At the end of your day, Unwind with Gratitude with Mel Mah.
2. Body scan meditation
This body scan method encourages you to scan your body starting from your head to your toes, consciously releasing tension. This practice helps you identify and alleviate physical discomfort that might otherwise disrupt your sleep.
💙 Try a Bedtime Body Scan guided practice to get started.
3. Breathing exercises
Focusing on your breath's rhythm can have a profound impact on relaxation. Deep, slow breaths can activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers a relaxation response that will pave the way for a restful night’s sleep.
💙 For a wonderful breath-centered sleep meditation, explore our Kumbhaka Sleep Rhythm meditation.
4. Guided meditation
Through the guidance of an instructor or recorded meditation, you can visualize calming scenarios or scenarios that lead to sleep. Guided meditations can be particularly effective for those new to meditation.
💙 Check out Deep Rest with Oren Jay Sofer if you’re looking for a guided meditation to help with sleep.
5. Visualization meditation
To practice visualization meditation you can start by imagining any place that is calm, peaceful, or relaxing to you. It could be a beautiful naturescape you love, or even one of your own creation. Take some time to imagine yourself in that place. Visualize what it feels like, smells like, sounds like and focus on your breath.
💙 Looking for a beautiful visualization meditation? A Woodland Stroll to Sleep is one of our go-tos.
Adding meditation to your pre-sleep routine
Meditation can be most effective when incorporated into a pre-sleep routine. Here's how you can create an atmosphere that will enhance its effectiveness.
Create a sanctuary for sleep: The last step before sleep meditation should be to get comfortable in your bed. Let yourself get cozy and enjoy the sensations of soft pillows and warm blankets. The more senses we engage when creating a new habit, the better, particularly if the sensations are pleasurable.
Set up your bedroom as a haven of relaxation. Be sure to dim the lights, and stay off your electronic devices, unless you’re playing one of your favorite guided practices or Sleep Stories.
Routine is key: Establish a consistent meditation schedule, ideally in the moments leading up to bedtime. This routine conditions your mind to associate meditation with sleep, making the transition smoother.
Get distracting thoughts on paper: If you find the time before bed is when worries and stresses come into your mind, it may be helpful to add 10 minutes of journaling to the routine, or even a gratitude practice to get any stressful thoughts out of your head and onto the page.
Try a hollistic approach to sleep: Combine meditation with other calming rituals like a warm bath, gentle stretching, or sipping herbal tea. These activities amplify the relaxation effects of meditation.
By following the same steps in the same order each evening, you’ll create a routine for yourself and set the stage for whatever’s to follow.in this case, sleep meditation can become a habit you look forward to.
Meditation for sleep FAQs
Why does meditation help with sleep?
Regular meditation has been linked to a decrease in sleep onset latency (which is the time it takes to fall asleep), increased sleep duration, and an overall enhancement in sleep satisfaction. While you don’t have to meditate at night in order to receive these benefits, implementing a sleep-centered meditation practice before bed can help reduce sleep latency.
When is the best time to meditate?
Meditation at any point in your day is better than no meditation at all. However, if you’re struggling to fall asleep, try adding meditation into your wind down routine at the end of the day. If falling asleep isn’t an issue, but you find yourself up in the night, have your favorite meditation practice ready to go when you need to help guide your body and mind back towards sleep.
Is there a wrong way to meditate for sleep?
Not really! Most meditations have the same impact which is to induce physiological changes in the body such as lowered heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and the release of neurotransmitters that promote relaxation.
What if I don’t know how to meditate?
Unclear on how to meditate? Calm has numerous guided meditation practices to get you started. Some are as short as one minute, others are as long as a half an hour. Start small with the Mindfulness for Beginners series.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
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