PRACTISE MINDFULNESS—AND SLEEP WELL!

My favourite comedian Groucho Marx was a lifelong insomniac. He tried most things to help him sleep, but apparently to little avail. ‘I can sleep anywhere but in bed,’ he once exclaimed.

According to a 2015 study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, mindfulness meditation is one of the most powerful tools for improving your sleep ... and the quality of your sleep.

In the study, 49 adults, all of whom reported having sleep troubles prior to being enrolled in the study, were split into two groups. One group was instructed to complete a mindfulness meditation program while the other simply attended sleep education classes which mostly focused on instructing the participants on various ways to improve their sleep habits. Each group participated in their respective programs for six weeks. By the end, the results showed that those who were meditating experienced less insomnia, fatigue, and depression compared to those who weren't practising mindfulness meditation.

The results confirm a 2008 study which demonstrated that wellbeing and mindfulness are positively associated with sleep quality and with a morning circadian preference. Results from a sample of 305 undergraduates revealed positive associations among measures of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, mindfulness, sleep quality and morningness (that is, the characteristic of being most active and alert during the morning).

As I see it, there are two elements of mindfulness that are helpful in dealing with insomnia—choiceless awareness and non-resistance. You can’t sleep? Don’t resist it. Stop fighting against it, for whatever we resist persists. Simply be aware—non-selectively aware—of whatever passes through your mind. Watch it. Observe it. Don’t fight against it. Give those mental movies no power, by being only barely attentive to their content. Let it pass … for it will. And let it go. Try this—and you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

Studies:

Black D S, O’Reilly G A, Olmstead R, Breen E C, and Irwin M R. ‘Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances: A Randomized Clinical Trial.’ JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):494-501. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8081

Howell A J, Digdon N L, Buro K, and Sheptycki A R. ‘Relations among mindfulness, well-being, and sleep.’ (2008) Personality and Individual Differences, 2008;45(8):773-777. doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.08.005

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FEATURES IN NEWSWEEK

Here's a link to a recent article in Newsweek on mindfulness meditation, which contains this good summary of the proven benefits of mindfulness meditation:

'[Jon] Kabat-Zinn’s work has inspired a host of mindfulness-based therapies, with offshoots focusing on depression, addiction, eating and sleep disorders, and chronic pain. Mindfulness itself is being applied in psychotherapy—for treating cancer survivors, PTSD, sexual dysfunction—and is now so legit it’s taught around the world in medical centers, hospitals, schools (from primary school to medical school), prisons, and corporations.'

Who could ask for anything more? (Of course, always keep an open mind - when practising mindfulness and otherwise - for mindfulness meditation is not a panacea for all ills.)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org



MINDFULNESS AND SLEEP

"... [H]e grants sleep to those he loves." (Ps 127:2) [NIV]

In this frenetically paced world far too many people find themselves unable to turn their brains off at night. In time, these people often develop insomnia. Even when they manage to get to sleep, they still worry subconsciously.

I have seen this happen to so many of my former students-at-law, especially those who now work as lawyers in the “big end of town”. The pressure of billable hours often leads to anxiety about the future. “All that worrying, obsessing, and ruminating can increase risk of illness and disease. When the mind worries, the body responds,” says Dr Jeffrey Greeson, a clinical health psychologist at Duke University.

Greeson knows what he’s talking about. He conducted a study that followed 151 generally healthy but stressed adults. They underwent some 8 weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training which involved, among other things, instruction in and use of various meditation techniques.

The study showed that MBSR training resulted in statistically significant improvements in the participant group, including a 26% increase in overall sleep quality, a 16% reduction in sleep disturbances, a 25% decrease in the frequency of prescription or over-the-counter sleep medication use, and a 28% reduction in participants reporting sleepiness during the day.

Other studies, too, have found that Mindfulness can be therapeutic for sleep disturbances. See, for example, this 2005 journal article which reported on a study examining the effects of an 8-week MBSR program on the sleep quality of a heterogeneous sample of 63 cancer patients. Overall sleep disturbance was significantly reduced and participants reported that their sleep quality had improved. In addition, the patients experienced a significant reduction in overall stress, mood disturbance and fatigue.

Mindfulness teaches you not to resist whatever arises in consciousness. If there’s worry, you note and observe it, and acknowledge the worry thoughts. With regular practice, you learn to remain calm and alert and unfazed by what would otherwise throw you into a spin.

If you are having trouble either getting to sleep or staying asleep, bring your attention and awareness to what is going on in both your mind and your body. Are you worrying or thinking about something? Notice that, label the thoughts or emotions if you wish, and simply bring your mind back to observing your thoughts and emotions. Don’t fight them or resist them. Let them be. Give them no power. Do the same with your body. Bring your full attention to, and scan, your body.  Are you holding tension in any part of the body? Note it, and let it be.

Although I am a great believer in the "power of positive thinking" and a fan of its leading progenitor and expositor Dr Norman Vincent Peale (for more on him see this address of mine), with Mindfulness there is no need to replace every negative thought with a positive one. You simply note and acknowledge the negative thought, but you don’t allow it to cause you distress.

So, practise Mindfulness ... and sleep well ... naturally. (This blog sets out a simple form of mindfulness sitting meditation.)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org