Just two minutes of these 'bicep curls for your brain' can help you sleep better

Do you feel you're not getting enough sleep? Maybe it's tricky to switch off at bed time or you find yourself waking up throughout the night? You're not alone.

It is understood around one third of Aussies are getting less than the recommended amount of sleep (under seven hours), and Sheet Society's new Sleep Well survey has found almost 70 per cent of respondents feel "tired or totally exhausted when they wake up". 

If you count yourself among these people (I sure do), there's one simple activity that can make a world of difference for your ability to fall asleep and to stay asleep.

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It's meditation. 

Now, before you click away please bear with me. I know you've probably heard people wax on about the benefits of meditation and maybe you're thinking to yourself, 'There's no way I'm going to sit in silence for a week while getting eaten by mozzies in Eat, Pray, Love style'.

That may not be your cup of tea, but meditation doesn't have to be too complicated. In fact, Kic's meditation coach Meg James tells 9honey Coach that "even just 2-5 minutes of meditation practice can start to have a noticeable impact" on the quality of your sleep.

How does meditation work for sleep?

"Meditation helps to calm the nervous system by shifting the body from 'fight or flight' mode into a state of relaxation," James explains. 

"This reduces stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which are often responsible for keeping us awake at night."

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Regular meditation, according to James, can also "train the mind to disengage from racing thoughts, making it easier to switch off, fall asleep and stay asleep".

"People who meditate often report deeper, more restorative sleep and fewer nighttime awakenings," she says.

It can also be a "powerful tool for managing insomnia" James adds, "[by helping to] address the underlying causes like stress, anxiety, and rumination."

OK, but what is meditation really?

If you've attempted meditation before, you may have quickly given up, thinking you just weren't cut out for it – perhaps you couldn't focus or you just felt too restless. 

But James says there's "no such thing as failing in meditation"; it's all part of the process. 

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"The biggest myth about meditation is that you're supposed to 'clear your mind' or feel instantly calm," James says. 

"But real meditation is about noticing your thoughts and gently returning your focus again and again. That is the practice.

"Every time your mind wanders and you bring it back, you're training your brain to be more present. I always tell my students it's like doing bicep curls for your brain."

Meditation practices like mindfulness or yoga nidra, for example, "teach the mind to observe thoughts without getting caught up in them".

So what's the best way to incorporate meditation into a bedtime routine? 

James' biggest tip is to "keep it simple and consistent". 

To start, she recommends turning off your computer and TV and dimming the lights around 30 minutes before bed to help you unwind. Then, she suggests sitting or lying down to listen to a guided meditation.

"This signals to your body that it's time to wind down," James explains. "The key, like with any kind of training, is repetition. Meditating regularly before bedtime helps your brain start to associate meditation with sleep"

How long should a meditation last to be effective?

For sleep, James says "a 10-20 minute practice is often ideal but there's no minimum or perfect length". Even just two to five minutes can make a difference. 

James stresses that rather than the amount of time spent in one practice, the most important thing is to keep at it over time. 

"What matters most is consistency. Just like it is with your physical fitness, regular short sessions are more beneficial than the occasional long ones," she says.

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And if at first you're not sold, James recommends sticking at it for a little bit.

"Meditation is a skill that gets easier and more effective with practice. Like exercise, you build strength over time."

In partnership with Sheet Society, Kic has launched the limited-time Rest Club in the Kic app, featuring all-new ways to support sleep through meditation, movement, and meals- without the overwhelm.

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