Fall Asleep Fast with Meditation

There are several studies that tout the benefit of meditation. Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been shown to help depression, anxiety, pain, and psychological distress. A new study shows that mindfulness meditation can also improve sleep in older adults.

Approximately 50% of adults greater than 55 report issues with sleep; both falling asleep and staying asleep. As a result, they also complain of mood issues, fatigue, and decreased daily productivity. Because sleep medications work temporarily and have adverse effects such as excessive daytime sleepiness and dependency, behavioral techniques are an important treatment.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed mindfulness meditation improved both sleep quality, fatigue and depression that is associated with sleep deprivation. Mindfulness meditation included mindful sitting meditation, mindful eating, appreciation meditation, friendly or loving kindness meditation, mindful walking, and mindful movement. Participates engaged in 5-20 minutes of mindfulness daily.

Meditation is easy to learn and inexpensive. You can attend classes for free or a nominal fee (see meditationinconnecticut.org for a schedule) or download mindfulness meditations for your iPod.