Alternatives to Counting Sheep - Sleep Help Meditation Exercise

I used to have a hard time relaxing and falling asleep at the end of the day when I was little. It was probably because I wanted to stay up later or I was still wound up.

My mom and dad would take turns laying down with me for a little while every night before I went to sleep, and if I was particularly wound up, they had this sneaky little trick to help me relax and go to sleep.

When I got older, I used the same technique they taught me when I was little, except I would say it to myself. As I got even older, I started to recognize what my parents had done for me was a sort of meditation.

If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, try this self guided meditation exercise to see if it helps you fall asleep.

Part 1 - Say each of these things silently to yourself as you do them. Spend about 5 seconds doing each thing.

• Make yourself as comfortable as you can
• Close your eyes
• Clear your mind, and try not to think about anything
• Take 3 slow, deep breaths
• Relax all the muscles in your body

Part 2 - Remember to keep saying these things silently to yourself as you focus on relaxing each muscle group.

Next...

• Relax all the muscles in your toes
• Relax all the muscles in your feet
• Relax all the muscles in your calves
• Relax all the muscles in your knees
• Relax all the muscles in your thighs
• Relax all the muscles in your bottom

Then...

• Relax all the muscles in your lower stomach
• Relax all the muscles in your lower back
• Relax all the muscles in your stomach
• Relax all the muscles in your back
• Relax all the muscles in your chest
• Relax all the muscles in your upper back
• Relax all the muscles in your shoulders

*At this point I usually fall asleep*

• Relax all the muscles in your upper arms
• Relax all the muscles in your elbows
• Relax all the muscles in your forearms
• Relax all the muscles in your wrists
• Relax all the muscles in your hands
• Relax all the muscles in your fingers
• Relax all the muscles in your neck
• Relax all the muscles on your face

Finally...

• Relax all the muscles in your body
• And pretty soon you'll go to sleep...
• Take 1 slow, deep breath

I think I've pretty much made peace with the idea that I don't like taking medication unless I absolutely have to. I'm that stubborn person who refuses to see a doctor until it's absolutely necessary.

That is why this is my favorite technique to help me fall asleep; it is completely natural. I have never had to take sleeping pills or use any other sleep aids, and I don't have to drink any "get to sleep quick teas."

This meditation exercise gets me to sleep, I'd say, about 90% of the time before I even finish it. If I have somewhere I need to be early in the morning, and I know I have to get to sleep soon if I want to have any chance of being useful in the morning, I use this relaxation technique.

I've found that this works best for me when I've been trying to get to sleep for a while already. The exercise is a sort of last resort. It's kind of my secret sleep weapon.