Sleep Relaxation Techniques – Helping Yourself To Sleep Better

By | May 18, 2010

Sleep Relaxation Techniques

I have to tell you from the start that I am biased towards sleep relaxation techniques as an effective means of getting to sleep at night. I don’t claim they will get you to sleep fast or anything like that, but there is no doubt in my mind that meditation and relaxation methods have helped me to sleep better at night. There is no reason why they cannot do the same for you.

What exactly do I mean by meditation? You don’t have to have any prior knowledge of meditation, to practice it. Just following a few guidelines is sufficient ,effective and enough to get you started.  Basically, by using meditation techniques you are trying to calm the mind and body, in preparation for falling asleep when you have finished the meditation session.

You therefore need to be ready changed for bed before you begin meditating at night, though you can practice these techniques at any other time of day that is convenient for you. And, you can practice them as often as you like.

Once you have learned these techniques you can practice them anywhere. In the home, office, when you are out, and whenever you have a few quiet moments to yourself. It is surprising how many opportunities there are for finding spaces to relax, once you start looking for them.

First of all, sit or lie in a comfortable posture. Personally, I find lying on the bed works best for me, but I would encourage you to try a range of positions and stick to the one which suits you best. If you are not used to these sleep relaxation techniques, you will most likely struggle when you begin them for the first time. I know I did, but keep at them and be assured they do become easier with time, and the benefits are well worth the effort, in my opinion.

When you have found a suitable relaxation position, turn you attention inwards to your mind and body. If your mind is racing with thoughts, you need to let go of them. Suggested ways of doing this are by focussing on one object, such as a candle flame, either in your imagination, or by staring at a real candle flame. Be careful with safety issues though, if you light a candle for real.

It is surprising how therapeutic this method is, as you watch the flame dance around unpredictably in different directions. This is just one of many relaxation techniques that are available. Another well known example is to concentrate on your breathing.

Next, turn the attention to your body. It is likely that, if you have experienced tension, anxiety or stress during the day, your muscles will be tired and feel tight. This condition is relieved by concentrating on groups of muscles. You then tighten that group, and gradually release the tension. For example, I do this with the leg muscles, and the neck muscles especially.

The more you practice these sleep relaxation techniques, the better you will become at them. There are lots of books and sleep relaxation CDs you can buy online and in various well known stores. But I think once you have made your mind up to try these sleeping techniques, you have to comit to them for a while at least.

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