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Meditation for
Anxiety and Sleep
People who have had trouble falling asleep know the feeling of watching a clock, worrying about sleeping, dreading being sleep-deprived for the following day, or being bombarded by countless thoughts and worries.
As you may have guessed, anxiety and sleep are connected in a different ways. There is a tiring cycle going on here, sleep problems can cause anxiety, and anxiety issues can cause sleep problems.
That’s why it’s so important to learn about and understand anxiety, how it affects your sleep, and know the methods to lessen and/or eliminate the effects of anxiety on your sleep habits and quality.
A good night's sleep is truly important for your health, if not just as important as healthy eating and exercising.
How Does Anxiety Affect Sleep?
There is a 2009 research study of 4,181 German adults, which suggests that anxiety can reek havoc on your sleep.
The conclusion: “Most anxiety disorders are moderately associated with reduced sleep quality. Individuals with anxiety disorders and poor sleep experience significantly worse mental health-related quality of life and increased disability relative to those with anxiety disorders alone.”
It implies that in many cases, anxiety and sleep issues will go hand in hand and one can affect the other.
Excessive thoughts and worries at night can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. It seems like it is becoming more commonplace now.
Medication prescribed by doctors is so prevalent now as a solution to sleep disorders. In Facebook's insomnia and sleep tips group forum, one user wrote, "I got prescribed 25mg of Amitriptyline. Any experiences with this one?"
There are some extreme cases of not sleeping as well. Another user writes, "What the longest anyone has been without any sleep? Mine was 8 days."
People are now sleeping less than they did in the past, and sleep quality has decreased as well.
Consequences of Anxiety Affecting Sleep
What exactly happens when we wake up or can't fall asleep due to anxiety? Research suggests that sleep deprivation can cause the following and these are very serious:
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Irritability
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Forgetfulness
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Making mistakes at work
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Falling asleep behind the wheel
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Having trouble focusing, or making timely or proper decisions
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Delayed reaction times and lack of coordination
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Depression
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Lack of motivation
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Anxiety
The physical side effects associated with sleep deprivation are the increased risk of developing:
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High blood pressure
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Diabetes
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Heart disease
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A weaker immune system
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Fatigue
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Restlessness
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Excessive yawning
Strategies to Manage Anxiety in Order to Have Better Sleep
The Mayo Clinic recommends that people with anxiety:
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Keep physically active, as exercise can help reduce stress and make one tired enough at the end of the day to sleep.
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Use relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga, which can help ease your mind and body and prepare it to rest.
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Eat healthy, focusing on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish
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Avoid drinking alcohol and using recreational drugs, as these substances can worsen anxiety and interfere with your body's normal functions such as sleeping.
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Quit smoking and reduce caffeine intake, as both nicotine and caffeine can worsen anxiety
3. Good sleep can improve concentration and productivity
Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function. This includes cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance. All of these are negatively affected by sleep deprivation. A study on medical interns provides a good example. Interns on a traditional schedule with extended work hours of more than 24 hours made 36% more serious medical errors than interns on a schedule that allowed more sleep.
Another study found that short sleep can negatively impact some aspects of brain function to a similar degree as alcohol intoxication. On the other hand, good sleep has been shown to improve problem-solving skills and enhance memory performance of both children and adults.
SUMMARY: Good sleep can maximize problem-solving skills and enhance memory. Poor sleep has been shown to impair brain function.
How to Soothe Anxiety so You Can Sleep Better
Medication can help calm anxiety. But this option is not the healthiest nor is it the most desirable for most people. If you have mild anxiety or stress that might be contributing to sleep issues, it’s possible that some lifestyle changes could help relieve your anxiety, making it easier for you to sleep. These lifestyle choices may also assist in the management of more severe anxiety. For instance:
Regular exercise or yoga may help ease anxiety, stress, and depression. Regular exercise may help ease depression and anxiety by: Releasing feel-good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being.
Meditation for anxiety can help reduce anxiety and eliminate it altogether. Meditation has been proven to reduce stress, but did you know there is a method to eliminate stress altogether?
The Root of Anxiety and Stress
Here is a great explanation of the root of our anxiety and stress:
Free Meditation Before Bed
A Method to Get a Better Night's Sleep
Better sleep, better days. So many struggle to “turn off” at night and sleep in a way that is truly restorative. We have designed a special nighttime meditation series to melt away tension and invite a restful night’s sleep. Elizabeth Cockrell, of Brooklyn Meditation, is an experienced meditation guide who also happens to have a wonderfully soothing voice. She will guide us through a progressive relaxation technique and guided night meditation to gently release the thoughts of the day. Naturally, your body and mind will quiet down, allowing for a comfortable, rejuvenating night’s sleep.
Every Tuesday and Thursday night, the sessions will begin at 10pm, and close quietly at 10:45 - but hopefully our “goodnight” will go unheard. :) This is intended to be the last thing you do before falling asleep, so come ready to drift off to dreamland. We’ll see you there! Completely free and all are welcome. Please share this with anyone who could benefit from sounder sleep and sweeter dreams.
East Coast Edition
Tuesday & Thursday at 10pm ET
Hosted By Elizabeth & Evan
West Coast Edition
Monday at 9pm PT
Hosted By Pralima & Ronan
What to Expect
*A brief introduction to the purpose and premise of meditation, and identify the blockages to healthy sleep patterns.
*Some simple stretches and progressive relaxation techniques to put the body at ease.
*A guided visualization meditation to identify and release - or “throw away” - stressful, negative, and burdensome thoughts from the day.
By the end of the session, you will have released tension in both the body and mind, allowing for an easier and more restful night’s sleep.
Our Staff
Elizabeth
Host
Elizabeth has been practicing meditation for 7 years and has been guiding as an instructor at the Brooklyn Meditation center in Park Slope for 5 years. Since it’s grand opening in the summer of 2015, the center has seen hundreds of diverse people of all backgrounds make meditation part of their life style.
Evan
Cohost
For the past 18 years, Evan has been on a spiritual journey, during which time his search for inner peace led him to Finding Your True Self meditation. Since completing the meditation program in 2008, Evan has focused on guiding newcomers and trying to spread the good word.
Pralima
Host
Pralima started searching for inner peace and happiness at a young age. She found the meditation method in 2009.
Ever since, she has been involved in helping others find peace within. She is currently a full time meditation guide at San Francisco Meditation.
Ronan
Cohost
Ronan began meditation almost 6 years ago at Las Vegas Meditation. Over time he noticed improvements in his personal as well as his work life. These wonderful changes brought forth a better quality of life. Having been helped personally by this practice, he has gotten involved with the public online programs to share this meditation with others.
Other Programs
Donations
Help us continue to offer free meditation to the world.
Long Island Meditation is looking to help the world regain their true happiness and peace during these difficult times. While we are actively involved in helping the local community through free guided meditations, there is still a long way to go in helping all the impacted parts of the world.
We need your support to continue our mission, of bringing the limitless benefits of meditation to our community and beyond.
Please consider donating whether it's $5, $10, $50 or any amount, it will help us in making progress each day in reaching out to more people who need to find true peace of mind and happiness within.
Donations go to LI Meditation, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization.
All Donations are Tax Deductible.