Sleep is another necessity for life. When we are sleep deprived, we become less effective in our thinking, in our physical abilities and skills, in our relationships, in our emotional stability, in the way that our body functions to maintain, restore and heal itself.
There are a number of things that commonly interfere with our ability to sleep or to sleep well:
– External distractions in our environment, including clutter, light, noise and smell
– Physical discomfort or pain; skin, muscles, organs
– Uncomfortable sleep surface or position
– Changing or erratic schedule
– Excited thoughts about something that happened in the past
– Excited thoughts about something that might happen in the future
– Worried or guilty thoughts about what has happened in the past
– Worried thoughts about something that might happen in the future
– Prescription drugs or other drugs, including caffeine
– Eating, or physical activity, or mental stimulation too close to bed time
– Worry about not being able to go to sleep
– Fear of nightmares that have been occurring
– The illusion that we do not have time to sleep – there are too many other things we have to accomplish
A regular practice of meditation and other mindfulness practices can help increase our ability to notice and identify these obstacles to sleep well before bedtime arrives. It can also help us to face a difficult time going to sleep in the moment. Look for coming instructions and guided meditations specifically for sleep. One is a Sleep Scan to become aware of the possible current obstacles to your sleep. Others will help you to mindfully approach the various obstacles you have identified.
It is common for people to begin a practice of meditation and find themselves falling asleep during most of their early attempts. When this happens, it is likely an indication that you are sleep deprived, whether you recognized that or not. Now you know, and can identify and address some of the reasons feeding that lack of sleep.