If you have ever found yourself awake at night, Zara Mitchell offers meditation as a remedy for your mind racing with ideas. Expert in sleep and mindfulness, Zara has guided many people in improving the quality of their sleep by using straightforward but effective meditation techniques.
Science supports the relationship between sleep and meditation. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, meditation helps us to relax and opposes the stress reaction that sometimes keeps us awake. Studies reveal that consistent meditation can lower cortisol, the main stress hormone in the body, while raising melatonin production—the hormone in charge of controlling sleep.
Before bed, Zara advised beginning with a basic mindfulness meditation. Sit or lie comfortably; concentrate on your breath and gradually bring your thoughts back anytime it strays. Just ten minutes of this exercise will tell your body it’s time to relax. Guided sleep meditations or body scan approaches might be very helpful for people who battle a crowded head.
Key is consistency, Zara points out. Meditation helps the brain to reach a condition of calm more readily, just as exercising builds muscles over time. In weeks of beginning a meditation practice, many of her clients report falling asleep faster and undergoing deeper, more restful sleep.
Beyond sleep, meditation helps one be generally well-adjusted. Common side effects of a consistent practice are improved mood, less anxiety, and more daily focus.
The demystification of meditation made possible by Zara Mitchell makes it understandable to anyone. Her observations could be the cure you need for a quiet evening’s sleep if you find counting sheep to be boring.
