According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control, a startling 35% of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. This means one in three people are not getting the CDC’s recommended seven hours of sleep each night. While it may not seem like a big deal, catching less than the recommended dose of shut eye is associated with an increased risk of developing numerous chronic conditions such as:

Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Mental distress
Obesity
Stroke

To avoid turning to pharmaceutical sleep aids and questionable dietary supplements (which about one-third of people have tried according to Consumer Reports), try using a few mindfulness techniques to get your sleep patterns back on track. Bearing this in mind, let’s talk about how “mode-of-mind” affects sleep and explore three mindfulness strategies we’ve found to be incredibly effective for getting some high-quality shuteye.

Transitioning from “Doing” to “Being”

If you’re familiar with mindfulness, you probably know that “being” in the present moment is the cornerstone of the practice. However, this transition into simply “being” is a tall order, especially for people who are already having a difficult time sleeping. So, how can a person turn a mind full of anxiety-provoking thoughts into a clear head that’s ready for bed?

First, let’s explore the two modes-of-mind: the “doing” mind and the “being” mind.

The doing brain wants to solve problems, achieve goals, and feel a specific way. The problem is, it also jump starts a process called “discrepancy monitoring,” in which we continually compare our actual selves with our ideal selves.

While this process can be helpful for achieving goals and forming high aspirations, it can do a number on our mood, and thus, our sleep cycle. In fact, according to a study published in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, self-discrepancy monitoring “seems to be a global trigger of emotional distress.”

Conversely, there is your “being” brain. Where the doing mode is either focused on the past or future, the being mind is planted in the present. This mode-of-mind accepts, observes, and is intimately attached to the “here and now.”

If you’re thinking to yourself: I ruminate far too much to reach the “being” brain, you may be surprised to find out you’ve already taken the first step.

Acknowledge Your Thoughts

Just about everyone has lost sleep due anxiety or a bout of depression, but some people’s nightly ruminations turn into long stretches of sleeplessness and even insomnia. However, being aware of the fact that you have these thoughts is a critical first step.

These thoughts may be present from the moment you lay down, or they may take a few minutes to set in. If it feels comfortable, close your eyes and allow your thoughts to come in and out organically.

The key to this first step is to allow these thoughts to pass through your mind without judgement. Moreover, it’s important to remind yourself that you are not your thoughts. This, like any skill or practice, will take time.

Find the Right Route to “Being”

If there were a roadmap that showed the path from “doing” to “being” there would be dozens of different ways to arrive at the destination. For that reason, this is where you can experiment with different methods of practicing mindfulness to see what route you want to take.

Breathe Mindfully

Mindful breathing is a great technique to ease you into mindfulness. Let go of any pretenses you have about meditating and think of this method as a simple breathing exercise. Here’s how to do it:

Lay on your back or sit comfortably with your arms at your sides.
- Be aware of any areas that feel tense (i.e. shoulders rolled up, jaw tight, fists clenched)
- Begin taking note of your breath.
Try breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth.
- As you become more experienced with the practice, try breathing with your diaphragm.
Use a simple mantra or square breathing.
- Remind yourself to slowly breath in and then breath out
- Square breathing means each step is done for four seconds: Inhale (4) → Hold (4) → Exhale (4) → Hold (4).
As thoughts arise, acknowledge them, then gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
Do this exercise a few minutes before you go to bed or even until you fall asleep.

Try a Mindful Body Scan

A body scan allows you to gradually widen your awareness from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Many people who practice the mindfulness body scan will fall asleep before the end of the practice. Here’s how to do it:

Lay on your back with your arms at your side.
Draw your attention to the tips of your toes.
- Notice how your toes feel. Are they warm? Are your muscles relaxed?
Slowly draw you attention to the rest of your foot.
- Guided body scans are sometimes 30 minutes long, so take your time.
Proceed to your ankles, calves, and thighs.
- As thoughts come into your mind, acknowledge them without judgement, and then gently draw your focus back to your scan.
Move to your waist, stomach, and then chest.
- Again, take note of how your muscles feel and how your body is relaxed on the bed.
Continue the scan to your neck, mouth, nose, eyes, and the top of your head.
- Be sure to check in with your jaw and eyes and release any tension that’s there.

Create a Mindful Environment

Between cell phone screens and late night snacking, a lot of us don’t wind down properly before bed, causing both a lower quantity and quality of sleep. That’s why it’s important to block about a half hour to an hour before bed to unplug, unwind, and relax. Here’s how:

Set your goal for a bedtime.
- Don’t feel pressure to fall asleep by then. It’s just a time to be in bed by.
Set the mood for sleep by dimming the lights.
- Avoid rooms with energy-efficient lighting such as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs) or light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) for about one hour before bed.
Set aside your cell phone and turn off the tube.
- Like CFBs and LEDs, electronic screens release blue light which is harmful to sleep patterns.
Read or write
- Try reading a book or journaling before bed instead of watching TV. Jotting down your stresses and anxieties from the day can help you leave that negativity in the notebook rather than taking it to bed.
Sounds and smells
- It’s not everyone’s style, but consider playing relaxing sounds such as pink noise, binaural beats, or nature sounds.
- It’s also becoming increasingly popular to diffuse essential oils before bed. Relaxing smells like lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood can be great for setting the mood for sleep.

Mindfulness Strategies

Let us know some of your favorite bedtime mindfulness techniques in the comments below. Also, if you enjoyed the article, please feel free to like and share it. If you have questions regarding our mindfulness consulting services, click the button below to contact us today.

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