Getting the right amount of sleep every night can be difficult. For many people, the cause of their sleepless nights is stress. Stress causes things like neck stiffness, back tension, and anxiety, thus preventing any sort of peaceful sleep. For this reason, a lot of people resort to sleep medication, but research has recently shown that there may be a more natural solution to getting the rest that you need. Meditation is an ancient practice that has many benefits, and studies have shown that meditation before bed results in a deeper, more restful sleep. Here are some of the benefits of meditation before you hit the sack.
Improved mood
When you look at someone meditating, it doesn’t appear that anything is happening. This is because all of the action is taking place inside the body. Like mentioned before, meditation helps lower stress. This is because it increases serotonin levels, reduces heart rate and blood pressure, and activates the part of the brain that controls sleep. During mediation, your body experiences similar chemical changes to when you are falling asleep thus making the process of going to bed easier once you are done meditating.
Improved brain health
Meditation has also been shown to improve brain health. During research regarding mindfulness meditation, Neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazar found that meditating reduced the shrinkage of the gray matter in our frontal cortex. Typically, this area shrinks as we age, but the study found that 50-year-old’s that practiced regular meditation had the same levels of gray matter as people half their age. This form of mediation also improved cognition, compassion, empathy and reduced the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Increased focus
On top of reducing stress levels and improving mental well-being, practicing meditation can increase your ability to stay focused on a task. One of the main aspects of meditation is being mindful of your thoughts and not allowing yourself to get too caught up in them. This practice takes more effort than you might think. Over time you form the ability to realize when you are getting distracted by extraneous thoughts, making it easier to devote your full attention to something, including sleep. Meditating makes it easier to push all of those wandering thoughts aside and clears your mind so that you can rest easier.
Improve Your Sleep with Jacksonville Sleep Center
If you are suffering from restless sleep, it is important that you visit a doctor or sleep specialist. Dealing with sleeping difficulties can be the first step in leading a happier and healthier life. If you all are looking for a sleep center near you, then don’t hesitate to visit Jacksonville Sleep Center. We are the only clinic in North Florida with a Board Certified Sleep Physicians practicing exclusively sleep medicine and we are dedicated to improving your quality of life through a better night’s sleep. Book an appointment today by calling 904-854-6899.