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Controlled BreathingĪ series of slow, deep breaths can enable a sense of calm. Once you’re lying comfortably in bed, try one of these techniques to put yourself at ease and settle gently into sleep. Keeping these basics in mind empowers you to adjust these methods to suit your preferences.įalling Asleep With Relaxation Techniques Finding the best mattress for your sleep position and body type can be instrumental in a good night’s rest.Īll of the following methods are ways of achieving these core elements so that you can calmly fall asleep. Naturally, when relaxing to fall asleep, the recommended position is lying in bed. Finding a cozy place to relax is critical. Accepting that it’s normal for your mind to wander allows you to remain at-ease and draw your focus back to the object of your attention. A word, phrase, mantra, breathing pattern, or mental image can all be used to draw your attention and reduce thinking about external concerns. Loud, abrasive sounds or noises should be avoided. Calming sounds or music can be beneficial. Quiet does not have to mean completely silent.
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Only in recent decades, though, have meditative practices for relaxation become a focus of scientific research, which has come to identify four key elements for fostering the relaxation response. The Four Key Elements to Cultivating Relaxationįor thousands of years, relaxation has been a central focus of spiritual and cultural practices, enabling a sense of calm and connection with oneself and the surrounding world. Even better, these methods are customizable, so you can adjust them over time to make them work for you. Our step-by-step guides offer proven relaxation methods that may help with insomnia and other sleep problems.Įxperts emphasize that it can take time to master these techniques, but the practice pays off. Research shows that the relaxation response is a physiological process that positively affects both the mind and body.īy reducing stress and anxiety, the relaxation response can enable you to peacefully drift off to sleep. One of the keys to smoothly falling asleep is relaxation. With the right approach, you can reliably fall asleep within a matter of minutes. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who struggle with insomnia, you may find your mind racing and your body tossing and turning when you just want to be asleep.
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