The easy practice that soothes anxiety
Study after study has confirmed mindfulness meditation—a simple practice in which you focus on the present moment— dramatically lowers stress, reduces depression and helps people sleep extra deeply! In fact, new research shows that it cuts sleep-sapping stress hormones by 25% and lowers chronic anxiety by 63%. How it works: “Mindfulness allows us to gently guide our attention away from stressful thoughts and to rest in a calmer place, often by focusing on the breath,” says psychologist and meditation expert Tara Brach, PH.D., author of Radical Acceptance. “This helps quiet the mind and relax the body so sleep comes naturally.”
“Settle yourself comfortably, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing. Consciously lengthen the breath, so you’re taking a long slow in-breath, filling the chest and the lungs now, and then slowly releasing the breath…letting go…letting go. Again, take a long deep in-breath, and a slow, smooth out-breath, so that you can feel the sensations of letting go. Now allow your breath to resume its natural rhythm and see how fully you can relax with each inflow and outflow.
“Continuing with this relaxed breathing, begin scanning your body. Notice if, with the out-breath, you can release any tension you might be carrying. You might bring a slight smile to the lips. Let your eyes be soft, your brow smooth and all the muscles of the face relaxed. Allow your shoulders to fall away from your neck, dissolving any tension like ice to water…then water to gas.
“Let your hands rest and soften them, feeling any tingling and vibrating that’s there. Let your chest be open and you might visualize the curve of a smile spreading through the area of your heart.
While many believe meditation requires us to totally clear our minds—which can be daunting with all our busy thoughts— Brach says the goal of mindfulness is to simply recognize when anxious thinking occurs, learn to let go of thoughts that fuel stress and to relax the body. “When done daily, it helps us better respond to stress and to release accumulated tensions that interfere with sleep.” Below, Brach shares a mindfulness meditation for better sleep. To do: Use your smartphone or a tape recorder to record yourself (or a loved one) slowly reading the meditation out loud. Then listen and follow along each night before bed, or anytime you’re feeling anxious or stressed.
“Let this next breath be received in a softening belly…and now this one. Again visualize and feel the sense of a smile spreading through the belly. Relaxing, softening and letting go through the pelvic region. Relaxing the muscles in the legs. Feeling places of pressure and warmth in the feet. Then open to feel the whole body floating like a field of sensation…safe and at ease.
“Here, gently place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Sense with the in-breath that you’re receiving a gentle flow of soothing, healing energy. And with the exhale, let go of whatever is ready to be released. If there’s any tension, pain or fear in your body, feel the tender touch of your hand on your heart and send soothing energy to the place of discomfort. You might offer a message of care such as, ‘Be at ease.’
“If your mind drifts into thoughts, open your attention, listen to the sounds around you and rest in the breath. Then scan your body again, sensing each life breath as home, a refuge. Safe and at home in this breath…this moment…this life.”
For more, visit Tarabrach.com