By According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, numerous research studies have found that mindfulness meditation can reduce stress. It also eases symptoms of depression and anxiety, improves sleep disturbances and pain, while promoting an overall sense of well-being.
If you’re interested in doing this but feel off getting out of your bed, learn how to meditate in bed. It still requires preparation, but worth the small effort. With gentle techniques like breath counting, mindfulness, or guided meditations, you can ease tension, quiet anxious thoughts, and prepare for a deeper, more restful sleep.
How to Meditate in Bed for Anxiety
The bed meditation can help you manage anxious thoughts and feelings. For comfort, you need to do some small preparation.
1. Create a Peaceful Bedtime Environment
Create a calm sanctuary in your room by dimming the lights, maintaining a comfortable temperature. Removing distractions is the best way to create the ideal conditions for a peaceful night’s sleep. Follow this basic preparation for meditation in bed to get the most out of your practice.
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2. Use Supportive Props to Sleep
If you experience discomfort in your back while lying down with your legs extended, consider using supportive props. Placing a pillow, bolster, or yoga blocks under your knees or calves can relieve pressure on your lower back and help your body relax into a more comfortable position.
3. Dress Comfortably
Dress in loose, breathable clothing or soft pajamas that allow your body to move freely and stay relaxed. Avoid anything tight or restrictive, as it can interfere with your comfort, breathing, or ability to wind down, especially when preparing for rest or sleep.
4. Choose Comfortable Position
Choosing the most comfortable exercise position (sitting or lying down) depends on your preferences for sleeping. If you plan to sleep right after meditating, lying down is ideal, so you don’t disrupt your relaxed state later by needing to shift or get under the covers.
5. Get Comfortable
Before beginning your sleep meditation, tuck yourself in under your bedding to settle in fully. Using a weighted blanket can be especially grounding, which helps calm the nervous system and encourages deeper relaxation. It makes it easier to drift into a restful, restorative sleep.
6. Avoid Screens
If you’re winding down for the night, avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before bed. Limiting blue light exposure helps signal to your brain that it’s time to rest, allowing your mind to shift into a calmer, more peaceful state before sleep.
7. Try Relaxing Music or Sounds
Soft music or gentle nature sounds can create a peaceful atmosphere for meditation. If you prefer guided meditations or calming tracks, consider using earphones to reduce background noise and stay focused, allowing your mind to settle more easily into a relaxed, meditative state.
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4 Techniques for Meditating in Bed
Here are some meditation techniques you can try in bed to improve your sleep, wake up reinvigorated, feeling good for the day ahead.
1. Guided Meditation
If you’re new to the practice, this technique provides step-by-step support and helps you stay focused throughout the session. It involves listening to a teacher or narrator who gently leads you through the practice with verbal cues and suggestions.
2. Simple Breathing Technique
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple, repetitive practice that helps calm the mind by focusing attention on the breath. This method can ease anxiety and quiet racing thoughts, making it easier to fall asleep. To try it, get comfortable in bed and follow these steps:
- Inhale softly through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
- Repeat the same cycle 4 times.
3. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is about being fully present and aware of your thoughts, body, and breath without judgment. It soothes the mind by softly guiding your focus back to the present whenever your thoughts begin to wander, fostering a sense of calm and clarity.
How to Practice Mindfulness Meditation:
- Remove distractions from your room and create a calm environment where you feel safe and at ease.
- Get a relaxed position, whether it’s sitting or lying down. Let your body feel supported and still.
- Inhale for 10 counts, hold for 10, and exhale for 10, and repeat this five times, staying focused on each breath.
- Observe how your body feels to you. If you detect tension, bring awareness to that area and consciously release it.
- When a thought or emotion arises, acknowledge it without judgment, then gently return your focus to your breath.
Practising regularly can help you stay centred, reduce stress, and improve sleep over time.
4. Counting or Word Meditation
A single point of focus, like counting or repeating a simple word, helps gently quiet mental chatter and ease the body into stillness.
How to Meditate in Bed with Counting or a Word/Phrase
- Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes to let your body settle naturally into the bed.
- Inhale and mentally say “one,” exhale and say “two.” Continue counting to ten, then start over.
- Repeat a calming word or phrase with each breath, or divide it between inhale and exhale to create a rhythm. For instance: (inhale) I greet this day, (exhale) with gratitude and openness.
- If your mind wanders, which is completely normal, return to your count or phrase without judging yourself.
- Continue this pattern until you feel relaxed and ready to drift off to sleep.
This simple practice creates rhythm and focus, making it easier to let go of thoughts and settle into rest.
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The Perks of Knowing How to Meditate in Bed
So, can you meditate in bed? Definitely! This exercise makes it possible for you to practice mindfulness while preparing to get a restful sleep and a calm mind without undergoing the hassle of getting out of bed.
Although this practice does not require you to move your body and use up energy, it can help to loosen up and shake stress, which often triggers anxiety, from your body. All you need to do to enjoy this perk is to do it consistently.
