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I decided that I would like to take some meditation training. After a lot of research, I have chosen to do the Transcendental Meditation training. This type of meditation is only taught from certified teacher to student in person and cannot be learned on your own or through literature. There is only on trainer in WI so first I have to meet with him or Skype for an informational meeting. After that I will be able do the 4 day training session in Milwaukee or Appleton. I am looking forward to the one on one training and to be able to dive deep into this meditation technique. Research has showed that it is highly effective for stress-related conditions, brain function, and cardiovascular health.

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Find a Transcendental Meditation Teacher

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Learn about the Transcendental Meditation technique for inner peace and wellness. Evidence-based results. Serving men, women, and families at TM® centers worldwide.

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This week has been busier than normal since our schedules and daily routines have had to change with my husband going back to his landscaping job and my daughter going back to daycare 3 days per week. I am now with her all day on 2 of the days that I am off work so this has taken away some of my study time. I am adjusting my meditation times to the new schedule and it seems to be working out. I did my yoga and meditation mostly in the evenings this week right after putting my daughter to bed. It is helpful in the evenings because it brings me back to center and slows down my mind a great deal after a long day of constant motion. I am also able to fall asleep faster since both my muscles and my mind are more relaxed.

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Do you find it difficult to sleep at night? Does your mind start racing the moment you lay your head on the pillow? Meditation before bed may be just the solution for you. Not only does meditation help relax your mind, but it also helps release stresses of the day and prevents insomnia. In fact, meditation has the same effect on the body as sleep - your pulse slows down, your blood pressure drops and your stress hormones decrease. When your body enters this phase before bedtime, it makes drifting off to sleep easier.

Some experts, however, feel one should not meditate too close to bedtime. They believe the real purpose of meditation is to awaken all your senses fully and this can be counterproductive to sleep. This is only partially true as meditation helps you clear your mind of all worries. The less stressed you are, the more peaceful your sleep will be. But before we see meditation before bedtime in detail, let's know what is the best time to meditate?

What is the best time to meditate?

Meditating every day can help improve your health. It enhances concentration and lowers stress. So, what is the ideal time for meditation?

First thing in the morning

If you plan to incorporate meditation into your daily routine, you must begin your day with meditation. This energises you and sets the tone for the day. Ideally, you should practice meditation before your breakfast. If you have just started meditating, begin with a few simple breathing exercises for a few minutes.

When you feel stressed

Meditate for a few minutes whenever you are stressed or overwhelmed. Meditation helps you relax and calm your mind so that you can think clearly and plan your next step. Meditation enables you to take better decisions as you can make wrong choices if you are stressed.

End of your work day

End your day at work with a few minutes of meditation. This helps as it creates a natural boundary between working hours and more stress-free time spent at home. This way you don't bring your work stresses home and spend a happier time at home.

Whenever you get the time

Meditation has numerous health benefits. Do not limit it to fixed times in a day. Meditate for a few minutes during any time of the day. Be it lunchtime or on your way home or even before bedtime meditation will help calm your nerves and relax you.

Before bedtime

Though many experts do not recommend meditation right before sleep, they feel there should be an hour's gap between meditation and sleep. They feel these two activities should stay separate in our awareness and habits.

How to meditate before sleep?

These techniques work best when done before sleep in a quiet and calm environment.

Abdominal breathing

Lie on your bed and place your hands on your belly. Take a deep breath from your abdomen and release gently. When you breathe your hands will also move. Focus your mind on this movement and take your mind off all the other matters of the day.

Guided imagery

Imagine you are in a calm place to get your mind off the stresses of the day. I can be anything like lying on a peaceful beach or even walking through the misty air of the mountains. It can be real or someplace from your imagination. This will help calm down your mind.

Mindful meditation

Focus on the different aspects of your life that are troubling you and letting them go helps a lot. Focus on one issue at a time. For some people, it also helps to note down their worries.

Spend 15 minutes to write down your thoughts in a diary. Now for the next 15 minutes write down the solutions to this problem. Process the solutions to your problems during the day, rather than letting them keep you up at night.

Counting down

Lie down on your bed and gaze up. Take a deep breath, hold it, and then slowly release it. Now imagine you are walking down the steps in a beautiful garden and exhale at every step. This will help you relax.

Frequently asked questions

How can I learn to meditate?

The best technique to learn meditation is to start doing it. You will learn it when you do it yourself. Hearing others talk about it or explain the techniques will be of little help. Having the desire to be at peace and practice is all you need to learn how to meditate.

Where should I meditate?

Though there is no strict rule about where you should meditate, having an assigned area for this purpose is helpful. Create a conducive atmosphere in this space to help you ease into a meditative mood.

Can meditation help me sleep better?

Yes, mindful meditation, a meditation technique that focuses on your breathing and awareness, can help you in sleeping better. This technique involves concentrating on your breathing and focussing your mind on the present. This helps your brain to stop drifting off into the worries of the past.

Can meditation help me have lucid dreams?

There is a direct link between lucid dreams and meditation. Both practices involve a higher state of awareness and help you become focused and self-aware. This higher state of awareness allows you to fall asleep while having lucid dreams.

Conclusion

Meditation needs practice, so be patient. You may not be able to master all these techniques all at once. Start with whatever you find the easiest and incorporate it into your daily routine. Start with a few minutes and slowly take it to 20 minutes a day. Meditation before bed helps to relax your body and mind. It enables you to sleep better, with minor disruptions during the night.

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Meditation Before Bed - 4 Meditation Techniques

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Meditation before bed helps in relaxing your mind. It also helps release stresses of the day and prevents insomnia. In fact, meditation has the same effect on the body as sleep - your pulse slows down & your blood pressure drops. Abdominal breathing, Guided imagery, Counting down are some techniques

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Unfortunately, this past week I wasn't feeling well first due to the stomach flu and then a respiratory bacterial infection. So I had to take a few days of rest and missed out on my yoga and meditation practice. After finally going to the doctor and being put on antibiotics I am happy to say I feel so much better and have my energy back. It feels great to be able to get back into the routine. I've noticed that when I come back to the mat after some time away, there is a renewed appreciation for what the practice does for my body and mind.

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I have continued with the practice of doing yoga prior to meditation this week. My 4 year old daughter has taken notice and has even joined me a few times and I even caught her doing a video by herself! It's inspiring to see how my positive new habit is having an impact on my daughter and I really hope it encourages her to do the same as she grows.

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This week I started doing yoga again after a few months hiatus. The original intention of ancient yoga was actually to prepare the body and mind for meditation. I have experienced that this is true from past experience but had not practiced it in a long time. So I decided to start adding yoga to my daily meditation practice. I also signed up for Yogaglo.com which has both yoga and meditation videos. I have done 20-30 minutes of yoga with a 10-20 minute meditation afterward for the past 3 days. The meditation feels deeper and the added yoga has made me calmer, more mindful and "in tune" throughout the rest of the day. This is definitely a welcome new addition to my everyday life! It is becoming more and more one of my highest priorities of the day - and one that I look forward to.

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I had some setbacks this week because I was sick for a few days and didn't feel I had the energy to meditate.  I felt slightly guilty at first but realized it was much more important just to rest and recover. Once I was feeling better I was able to start again and I didn't feel like I had lost any momentum.  It was interesting to notice how my body felt during meditation after recovering from being sick and not sitting in meditation for a few days.

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I have increased my meditation times to either 15-20 minutes per sitting. I ran out of free new meditations on the Headspace App so I have been listening to ones I've used before and then sit silently for another 5 or 10 minutes afterward. I searched for a new app but haven't found one that offers much of a free trial and I don't think I'm ready to subscribe to one yet.
There is another type of meditation called transcendental meditation I am interested in learning about. I just picked up a book on it from the library so I am excited to see what it entails and whether I will incorporate it into my meditations.

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This week was busy and stressful and I found myself not wanting to sit down to meditate, and sometimes I wouldn't. But then once I did later in the day or the next day, within a minute or two I could feel myself relaxing and wondering why I can't always remember this feeling of serenity. Sometimes my mind still feels like a monkey jumping around but the longer I sit the slower it gets and the more clear things eventually become.

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The most noticeable difference that meditation has made so far has been at work. When I meditate before work I have felt more focused, objective, and calm yet energized. I feel that I have handled stressful situations with more grace and feel more clear headed in making decisions.
At home, I have noticed that I am more patient with my 4 year old daughter and have been more creative with her during playtime.
I am looking forward to seeing what changes emerge as I increase the amount of time I meditate per day!

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My biggest challenge this week was realizing that I won't be meditating at the same time every day on a consistent basis. Because of my varied work schedule, some days I meditated at 4:00a.m. and other days at 10:30p.m. Regardless, I am adapting and find that if I do it right when I get out of bed and right before getting into bed, I am most likely to actually do it.
I also found a meditation app called Headspace that I am trying out. So far I'm impressed!
https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

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I decided to cultivate the new of habit of meditating daily. I have meditated on and off for years but have never been able to create a daily habit of it. I am looking forward to taking this journey and there's no time like the present to begin!

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Back from hiking in New Mexico and ready to learn!!