For Insomniacs, Treatment Could Be as Easy as…Mindfulness



The modern society today is fast paced and there’s usually a lot going on all at once. Navigating from one deadline to another, whether at work or school, paying the bills, balancing out relationships with near and dear ones, and taking care of oneself while at it all, can be quite a difficult trick to pull off.

Work tends to induce stress and this can have adverse effects on one’s health and general wellbeing. When stress begins to creep in, most people are unsure on what best steps to take in order to get back to their normal, jovial selves.

Amazingly, recent forays by researchers seeking to comprehend the impact of stress on minds and techniques to counter it, seem to have borne fruit. A research team based in the Netherlands came to the realization that even a little bit of mindfulness meditation can help one calm their hyperactive minds, and, in so doing, improve the quality of sleep.

To induce the positive effects of mindfulness, one needs to dedicate a portion of their day to practicing mindfulness training. Once done over extended periods, the practice becomes hardwired into one’s being and sleep quality rapidly improves.

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Getting Started

To kick-start the mindfulness regime, the choice of location is important because ambiance is an integral element. Ideally, one should seek a quiet, peaceful place where they can sit unperturbed for about 10-20 minutes. If possible, one should go the extra mile, dim the lights, sit and be still. Doing all this is to prepare oneself to settle physically and mentally.

While seated in an upright position, one should ensure that they are as comfortable as they can be. Incorporating things like cushions, stools and other props helps ensure that one takes care of themselves. Objectively, the goal is to always keep the spine erect.

Once the right posture is locked down, one should take some time to tune the body and evaluate which sections are tensed in order to avoid agitation. Taking in about 3 deep breaths directed towards the regions where the tension was can help one achieve a sense of relaxations.

With the agitation out of the way, one should pay special attention to the tip of the nostril. Notably, during inhalation, there’s going to be a cooling sensation and during exhalation, the air is likely going to be warmer. The sensation should be the prime focus for about 5 minutes.
Using the mind as the tool of choice, one should then proceed to mentally follow the air as it makes its way to the lungs and the air let out from the lungs. On occasion, one is likely to discover that other thoughts come fleeting to the mind, while absolute focus is necessary, our minds are known to try multi-tasking activities, thus, it’s perfectly normal to have a couple of other thoughts.

Going Forward

Doing this activity for about 10 minutes every day is greatly better than doing a longer session just once a week. To ensure habit forms, the mornings or evening hours are recommended because during those hours, there’s not much going on, thus, one can put their mind and soul to achieving a sense of clarity.