Sleep expert shares hack that may beat insomnia

Rather than getting into bed, lying down and hoping you’ll get the kip you need, you should instead try this

If you struggle to sleep and always seem to be Googling how to beat insomnia, a simple night-time change could be what it takes to get you back to having a restful nights sleep again. The advice comes from MattressNextDay sleep expert Martin Seeley.

He encourages people to give it a go, explaining that it helps both the mind and body relax. Mr Seeley wants people to try a sleep meditation, explaining: “Unlike regular forms of meditation, which focus on encouraging alertness and awareness throughout the day, sleep meditation looks at preparing your mind and body for rest through physical and mental relaxation techniques, such as guided breathing and other common well-being practices.”

According to the sleep expert, research shows that “meditation increases the production of both serotonin and melatonin”,” two hormones closely linked to sleep. These hormones activate areas of the brain involved in the sleep process.

Meditation has also been shown to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and alleviate anxiety – factors that help calm the mind and pave the way for a deeper, more restful sleep. All of these benefits contribute to a significantly better night’s rest.

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique

1. Begin by placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth
2. Inhale through your nose for four seconds
3. Hold the breath for seven seconds
4. Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds as if you’re blowing out a candle

Continue for as long as you feel comfortable and let the calming effect of this breathing pattern help you relax, he further suggests.

‘Train your mind’

Another technique for meditation to get to sleep is about “training your mind to take your body to another level”.

1. To start with, picture a ball of warm, pure, energised light hovering above your forehead
2. From here, focus on how pleasant, regenerative, and restorative it feels. Give yourself plenty of time to embrace this sensation and allow it to thrive
3. Imagine this pulsating ball of light becoming a liquid and travelling slowly down from your head and spreading over the entirety of your body, engulfing you in its warmth
4. Hold these thoughts for as long as you can, allowing yourself the time and mental space needed to absorb how the sensation makes you feel, before slowly releasing it.

What time should I meditate before bed?

The sleep expert said that “the perfect time for meditation is a subjective matter, and you might, for example, find that you benefit more from this sort of activity by doing it right after you get in from work.” If you’re someone who is busy and may not get a chance to do much before they lie down for the night, then it could be best doing this as you go to bed, he suggests.