From Spiralling to Sleeping: My Mindfulness Tools for Sleep
You might think that as a mindfulness teacher, I've got this whole sleep thing figured out. Let me let you in on a little secret – I don't always! Right now, I'm in the process of becoming a first-time home buyer, and let me tell you, there's nothing quite like lying in bed calculating mortgage payments to keep your mind racing at 2 AM.
The truth is, sleep was a major challenge for me over a decade ago. But here's the good news – I've developed a set of mindfulness tools for sleep that help me calm my mind and return to rest, even during the most chaotic times. Let me share it with you.
How to Calm the Mind When It Won't Stop Racing
We've all been there – your head hits the pillow and suddenly your brain decides it's the perfect time to review every worry, plan, and random thought from the day. Here's how to redirect your mind from spiralling to sound asleep:
1. The Mental Rewind with Gratitude
Instead of letting my mind bounce chaotically between thoughts, I intentionally rewind my day, dwelling on the good parts. The morning mountain view from my office window. The belly laugh I shared with my sister. The perfect cup of tea.
By deliberately focusing on positive experiences, I'm training my brain to notice and appreciate them more, while shifting my pre-sleep mindset toward contentment rather than worry.
2. Tomorrow's Mental Preview
To ease my mind the night before a busy day, I spend a few minutes imagining tomorrow unfolding exactly how I want it to. I visualize waking up refreshed, enjoying my morning routine, and navigating the day's challenges with ease and presence. This sets an intention for how I want to show up tomorrow, and helps me feel calm as I imagine things going well.
3. Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body
When my mind is spinning with thoughts about home renovation budgets and closing costs, I need something to break the cycle. These two techniques work wonders:
Foot Focus: I place all my attention on the sensation of my feet. How do they feel against the sheets? Are they warm or cool? This immediately draws my attention away from my thoughts, and away from my head, where they exist.
Belly Breathing: I place one hand on my belly and simply notice it rising and falling with each breath. The physical touch gives my mind something concrete to focus on as I follow the rhythm.
Both of these techniques work because they gently pull me out of the thought spiral and back into my physical body, where I can find present-moment calm.
The Mindful Sleep Hygiene Checklist
While a good sleep hygiene checklist typically includes things like limiting screen time and keeping your bedroom cool, mine extends to how I relate to sleep itself:
1. Ditch the Clock-Watching
"If I fall asleep now, I'll get 6 hours and 23 minutes..." Sound familiar? This habit creates anxiety that makes sleep even more elusive. I'm committed to not checking the time if I wake up. What I don't know can’t stress me out!
2. The Morning Clarity Reminder
When I find myself worrying about a problem at night, I tell myself: "Whatever I'm worried about will be so much easier to deal with in the morning." This isn't just a nice thought, it's genuinely true. Our problem-solving abilities are compromised when we're tired, and everything feels more overwhelming in the dark hours.
3. Release the Performance Pressure
If I'm really struggling with sleeplessness, I remind myself: "I've functioned well on no sleep before, and I can do it again if I need to." And yes, there's always caffeine! This takes the pressure off which in my experience, makes sleep more likely to come.
4. Capture Busy Thoughts
I keep a notebook by my bed for those brilliant ideas or important to-dos that my brain doesn't want to let go of. Writing them down gives my mind permission to release them, knowing they'll be there in the morning.
5. Gratitude Body Scan
Before sleep, I sometimes practice a body scan with gratitude – silently thanking each part of my body for the work it did throughout the day. "Thank you, feet, for taking me on a long dog walk. Thank you, hands, for preparing a great meal..." This practice combines physical awareness with positive emotion, creating ideal conditions for sleep.
Deep Sleep Meditation: My Visualization Technique
One of my most powerful tools for difficult nights is visualization – specifically, what I call the "Safe Place" technique. This is a form of deep sleep meditation that helps transition your mind from alertness to rest.
Here's how I practice it:
I bring to mind a place where I've felt completely calm. For me, it's either my friend's cottage dock in the early morning or sitting in front of Mount Assiniboine during a camping trip years ago.
I recreate this place in rich sensory detail – the sounds (gentle lapping water), the sights (golden light on the lake), the smells (fresh pine), and the physical sensations (warm wood of the dock beneath me).
I imagine breathing in the peace of this place and breathing out any tension, allowing my body to respond as if I were actually there.
The beauty of this deep sleep meditation is that it engages your mind in a way that's immersive but not stimulating, creating the internal conditions conducive to sleep.
Ready to Stop Spiralling and Start Sleeping?
Even with all these tools, there are still nights when sleep is challenging – and that's okay. If you prefer a guided experience, I've created a 'Stop Spiraling, Start Sleeping' Guided Meditation where my voice will lead you through a calming exercise to help you ease into sleep.
