Meditation and room darkening shades can make sleeping easier

Health.com recently released a guide for meditation techniques that is meant for individuals who experience trouble with their sleeping patterns or from insomnia when they try to go to bed each night.

There are four different methods of pre-sleep relaxation - abdominal breathing, guided imagery, mindful meditation and counting down.

Abdominal breathing consists of concentrating on exhaling and inhaling while one's hands are placed on the stomach. "When you breathe in and breathe out, your hands may gently move," Karthy Doner, MD, told the news source. "Focusing on this movement gets your mind off of your busy thoughts and onto your body."

Guided imagery focuses on the art of imagination. Individuals should attempt to picture a calming scene in their head. This place should be safe and secure. This practice can often reduce stress levels greatly, which are a leading cause of sleep deprivation.

Mindful meditation is a technique during which a person concentrates on a life problem for a few moments and then lets it go completely. Counting down is the practice of counting down from 20 while gazing upwards, just slightly straining the eyes, which experts claim can elicit relaxation.

All of these meditation techniques should be attempted in a cool, dark environment. Room darkening shades can create an atmosphere that can be conducive to calm thinking and, more importantly, peaceful sleep.