Mindfulness practice for sleep
Encouraging restfulness for the whole family
Sleep is extremely important for our mental and physical health and yet so many people have trouble falling or staying asleep. We can’t force ourselves to go to sleep; it’s a state that we have to let go into. Everyone is different and each of us needs a different amount of sleep to be at our best. “Contrary to popular opinion, older people don’t need less sleep than the average person. In fact, adults require about the same amount of sleep from their 20s into old age, although the number of hours per night varies from person to person,” according to WebMD.
Sleep plays a very important role in the development of young minds. Sleep directly affects our feelings of happiness, alertness and attention, as well as cognitive performance, mood and memory. “Sleep also has important effects on growth, especially in early infancy,” says Sleep Foundation.
Mindfulness can help us enjoy deep and restorative sleep and the practice that encourages this is a “body scan”. In a body scan, we are guided to place our attention on the body, slowly and sequentially, by noticing one area at a time. For children, this may be done with the aid of a visual, such as a butterfly that lands on the body, and when it does that part of the body is allowed to relax. For adults, it may be just noticing each part of the body in turn, being curious of the sensations there and then breathing into the area.
I like using a recorded yoga Nidra or an MBSR (MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction) body scan. Mindful Frontiers has some on our Youtube channel as well as on our Insight Timer page.
Emily Kahle, PA-C of the National Sinus Institute in Taos, explains that when someone is
suffering from sleep apnea, their breathing is interrupted due to
fluctuations in their oxygen levels. “Fluctuation in oxygen levels could put you at risk for elevated blood pressure, heart structural changes and stroke. More common symptoms include daytime fatigue, and morning headaches,” says Kahle.
Patients usually make an
appointment with the National Sinus Institute when a family member notices that the person is
snoring and perhaps experiencing interruptions in their breathing.
“We discuss the possibility of sleep apnea and explore whether they have some nasal congestion
underlying the problem or a deviated nasal symptom that is interfering with their ability to breathe adequately through their nose while sleeping. We may address
sinus issues first to make sure nasal airflow is optimized before proceeding to sleep issues,” Kahle said.
If after an initial exam, there is
still a concern for sleep apnea, a three-night home sleep study is ordered, Kahle says. The results are
sent out to a board-certified sleep doctor. The doctor sends back a
report on the severity of the sleep apnea.
The first treatment for this condition is usually a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), which Kahle explains is the gold
standard of treatment. “The CPAP is a machine that monitors your breathing to force enough air into your airway to keep it open so
that the oxygenation process can continue to occur,” she explains. “A mask is worn over the face or directly over the nose.”
As Kahle acknowledges, the CPAP is not glamorous, but after patients give it a chance for up to
six months, many find that it is really working for them. “For the most part, it is an effective treatment, and reduces the co-morbidity (risk) for other conditions like stroke and heart problems,” she said. Patients can also reduce their issues by losing weight, if needed. If the CPAP is not effective, there are other approaches such as a specially fitted mouthguard or surgery.
‘A powerful elixir for wellness and vitality’
Getting help for sleep disorders and finding ways to get enough sleep can enhance our lives. As Walker says, “I believe that it is time for us to reclaim our right to a full night of sleep... In doing so, we can be reunited with that most powerful elixir of wellness and vitality, dispensed through every conceivable biological pathway. Then we may remember what it feels like to be truly awake during the day infused with the very deepest plenitude of being.”