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Meditation on Sleep: A Healing Relaxation Exercise for Insomniacs
from: Tamara Timmerman Being a chronic insomniac, I decided some time ago, I needed to
get off of sleeping aids and learn to manage my insomnia. After
investigation, I discovered that my sleeplessness was related to
anxiety. For whatever reason, I simply have a great amount of
"mind-clutter", meaning over-active thought activity or worries.
In response, I developed a relaxation "exercise" that has worked
for me every time I have ever tried it. Perhaps it may work for
you!
Let me just preface this with the advice that you should always
consult your physician if you have chronic sleeplessness. This
article is not to take place of any medical advice. This is just
an exercise that has worked for myself and others. If you don't
have success the first time you try this, please don't get
discouraged, as it may take some time to learn to quiet your
mind. The last thing you need to do is add further anxiety by
placing additional, undue stress on yourself for not being able
to "achieve" sleep through this or any other meditative exercise.
This relaxation technique should work well on someone who is
having trouble sleeping because of stress or excessive "mind
clutter". I suggest that after reading this article, if you feel
it will help you, record the exercise on a tape and play it as
you go. You may also want to record some soft, relaxing music in
the background, behind your vocal recording. Remember to speak
slowly and allow yourself time to complete each relaxation. You
may want to repeat sentences to reinforce and allow more time to
do the exercise. This guided activity will help you to stay
focused.
Relaxation Exercise:
First, lay comfortably on your back. Sometimes I like to put a
pillow under my knees for extra comfort. I recommend this
exercise on the back because it opens up the chest for easier
breathing. Unless your doctor has advised you to sleep in a
different position, try this exercise on your back.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose.
This
breath is a cleansing breath,meaning it originates in the belly
and
fully extends through the lungs. Breathe out through your
mouth. The inhalation and exhalation should be slow, relaxed,
and
complete. Repeat. Again, these breaths should be slow and
effortless. Each inhalation brings you healing, comfort, and
peace. Each exhalation releases tension, negativity, and clears
the
mind. As you continue breathing deeply and freely, you should
feel
relaxed and peaceful. Inhale....Exhale. Focus your mind on
breathing and release all other thoughts. Inhale....exhale. You
will become very aware of your heartbeat. All thoughts will be
tuned to how you feel, the internal working of your being.
There is no time limit. There is no time. It's just
you....relaxed
and free. Now, you focus your attention on your toes. (Beginning
with your toes you will slowly move your focus all the way up
your
body, relaxing all the muscles as you go.) Relax your toes, the
muscles in your feet...ankles...calves...and shins. Breathe.
Your
knees are relaxed...as well as your thighs...hips...and
buttocks.
Breathe. Take your time as you travel up your spine. Start at
the
base and visualize each vertebrae and all the muscles connected
to
it. Focus on releasing the muscles around each vertebrae and
slowly
relax all the muscles as you go up the spine, vertebrae by
vertebrae. Relax all muscles in the middle of your back...in
between the shoulder blades...and the back, front, and tops of
the
shoulders. (Often, people have a large amount to tension around
the
upper back and shoulders. Take your time and focus on these
areas,
exhaling all tension as you go.) After releasing all of the
muscles
along the spine, turn your attention to your abdomen. Start at
the
bottom, deep in the pelvis and visualize the organs that make up
your abdomen as soft, free, and healthy. Move slowly up the
abdomen; belly and diaphragm, with healing breaths. It's okay if
you
feel a release of emotion. If you find that you are emotional,
realize that it's because we store emotional pain in our bodies
and
the gut is a very vulnerable place physically and emotionally.
At
the chest, focus on releasing any fears or anxiety as we often
hold
these emotions here. Continue to move up the chest and neck
area.
As you move up to the facial muscles, focus on breathing again
and
releasing all tension there. Focus on releasing the muscles
associated with the jaw as often worries are stored here. Your
facial muscles are all totally relaxed, now. When you get to the
very top of your head, your body should be completely free and
relaxed. It is as if you don't know where your body ends and the
bed begins. Some people describe this feeling as lighter than
air,
some people say it's as if they have sunk into the bed.
Nonetheless,
it's a feeling of complete surrender.
However. if you have completed your whole body relaxation
exercise and you still feel as if you are a ball of tension, I
have yet another exercise to help you further relax.
Begin at your feet again....this time you will very slowly tense
your muscles, starting at your feet and go to the very top of
your head. The key here, is to do this slowly and gradually
increase the intensity. You do not want to tense your body too
much and/or too quickly - because you can strain your muscles if
you do. After you have tensed yourself, gradually release, as
stated earlier, from your feet to your head. This should
reactivate some muscles enough to where they can be released
further from tension. The point of this exercise is to become
aware of these muscles so that you can release them. Sometimes,
when we are in a constant state of tension, we become
desensitized to tension in parts of our body. I do not recommend
that you do the tension exercise more than twice. If it is done
twice and you still feel tension in your body, I suggest that
you see your doctor and ask your doctor for a recommendation
and/or prescription for body work - i.e. massage therapy, etc.
In cases of extreme stress, nutritional deficiencies, and
sometimes, chronic problems due to injury, it simply may not be
possible to completely relax all muscles. But, do not worry. You
are on your way to healing your body. You are on the path to
healing because you are becoming more "self-aware".
(Back to relaxation exercise:)
By now you are very relaxed. Your breathing is effortless and
healing. You feel your heart beating and the pulse of your body.
You can feel the blood flowing through your body, your life-
force. You are "tuned in" to your the rhythm of your body. This
is
all you feel at this moment. This is often where sleep begins.
You
are in a theta state. You are relaxed and your conscious
mind has faded into a state of being.
This is the part of the exercise where one of two things usually
happens, either you are asleep or your mind begins to wander. Do
not let your mind wander! Instead focus your attention on your
body. If you feel your mind wandering or worrying or thinking
about what you have to do tomorrow, stop, breathe, and focus.
Sometimes, it helps if I look at the blackness in my eyes. I
know it's sounds strange, but if you just try, you may find it
works well.
(Back to relaxation exercise:)
With your eyes still closed, focus on the blackness you see.
Your
mind is in a void, there is nothing bad, nothing to think about,
nothing to feel, but relaxed. You are meditating on relaxing
and you are thinking of nothing. This not a state of doing, it
is a
state of being.
It has been reported that some people see images at this time,
or hear words in their head. I suggest that this is the
beginning of a dream state. You are in a low theta state, where
you are relaxed and drifting into sleep. When images come up, I
let them pass through me and attach no thought. It's actually
quite peaceful. (Back to relaxation exercise:)
You are not is a state of thought, you are in a state of being.
There is no time. Enjoy this relaxed state. There is nothing you
need to do. There is nothing you need to think about...just be.
You will fall asleep. You are asleep.
Some people say it's helpful at this point to tell themselves
that they are safe, free, and will have only good dreams. For
myself, I have always drifted off to sleep with this exercise.
The most difficult part being; quieting my mind.
Remember, you may make several attempts before having success
with this relaxation exercise. That's okay. You are training
yourself, your mind, and your body to relax. Once you do this
successfully, you will create a new "mind path" and it can and
will become habit if you continue to do the exercise. Best of
luck to you. Hope this helps.
About the author:
Tamara Timmerman is a researcher on holistic therapies and
matters on health for people and animals. Her quest for
information for alternative therapies came after witnessing the
experience of her mother's fight of a long, degenerative
disease. Tamara founded The Holistic Link in an effort to help
connect people to natural healing methods. For more information
on natural healing, visit www.holisticlink.net
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