Mindfulness can improve sleep quality by calming your nervous system and reducing racing thoughts that keep you awake at night.
Research shows that mindfulness is as effective as other evidence-based sleep treatments for improving sleep disorders.
You can practice mindfulness on your own or with a mindfulness-based therapist who can guide you more deeply.
Sleep disorders are some of the most common health conditions affecting American adults. Around 50 to 70 million Americans have some sort of sleep disorder. Nearly 1 in 3 don’t get the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep every night. Research shows that mindfulness for sleep is a safe and effective way to improve your sleep quality.
Mindfulness helps you sleep better by quieting the mind and reducing the body’s stress response, which can make it easier to fall and stay asleep. You can practice mindfulness on your own, but working with a mindfulness-based therapist can help you apply these tools to your specific sleep challenges.
How mindfulness contributes to better sleep
Many studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can significantly improve your sleep. By calming the mind and reducing stress, it helps the body transition more naturally into rest. Over time, regular practice can also improve sleep quality. This can result in you feeling more restored and energized in the morning.
Mindfulness is about placing gentle and nonjudgmental awareness on every experience. It teaches you to notice what’s happening — thoughts, emotions, or sensations — without getting caught up in them.
This type of awareness can help you sleep better by activating the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of your body responsible for rest and relaxation. By getting out of fight-or-flight mode, or stress response, your body can settle into a calmer rhythm that’s more appropriate for sleep.In addition, mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety. So if racing thoughts are keeping you up at night, mindfulness can help you acknowledge them without becoming consumed by them.
Mindfulness can also help you move away from worrying about not being able to fall asleep which often makes insomnia worse. It gives you a way to sit with the present moment rather than fighting against it. By training your mind to notice thoughts without judgment, you can reduce the anxiety you have about sleep itself and get out of the cycle of insomnia.
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What is sleep mindfulness used for?
Sleep mindfulness can be used to address different sleep disorders that prevent you from getting the rest you need. Some of the most common sleep disorders include:
Insomnia
Restless leg syndrome
Nightmare disorder
Sleep apnea
Parasomnias
Research has found that mindfulness can improve the symptoms of most of these conditions. For example, in one small study, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was found to improve symptoms of restless leg syndrome.
Some conditions, like sleep apnea, may require other medical interventions to fully manage. If you’re having trouble sleeping, it’s important to first get assessed by a medical professional to see what the underlying causes could be.
Research also shows that mindfulness can reduce sleep disturbances for people experiencing different conditions. There are many health conditions that can affect your sleep. Mindfulness can’t treat these conditions directly, but they can improve your sleep quality with them.
Examples include:
General anxiety disorder (GAD)
Fibromyalgia (and other chronic pain conditions)
Cancer
Heart disease
Even if you don’t live with a diagnosable sleep disorder or health condition, mindfulness can help you rest more soundly at night. Mindfulness can improve perceived sleep quality, which means that you may personally feel like you slept better. This can make a big difference in how rested you feel.
Mindfulness exercises for improved sleep
The good news is that mindfulness is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened over time. There are many exercises you can use to strengthen your mindfulness muscle and get better sleep at night.
1. Mindfulness of the breath
This is often an introduction to mindfulness meditation that’s taught in different programs, including MBSR. It involves focusing your awareness on your breathing — noticing the inhale, the exhale, and the pauses in between. When your mind wanders, you gently bring it back to your breath.
2. Body scan
The body scan is another exercise used in MBSR and other programs. You start at the top of your head or the tips of your toes and slowly move your attention through each part of your body. As you do this, notice sensations like warmth, tension, or heaviness. The goal isn’t to change anything but simply to notice.
Many people find this practice helps them let go of physical tension and fall asleep more quickly. One study found that a body-scan meditation, combined with deep breathing and music, significantly improved sleep quality for older adults.
3. Yoga
The practice of yoga has been found to improve sleep quality. Try practicing yoga by moving your body gently while keeping your attention on the sensations of each stretch. Even light stretching before bed can calm your nervous system.
Practice mindfully — don’t rush through poses, just breathe and notice how your body feels with each movement. You can do this before bed as part of a wind-down routine.
4. MBSR groups
MBSR is a structured program designed to teach practical mindfulness skills and reduce stress. Sessions usually combine guided meditations, gentle movement, and group discussion.
Some people find that joining an MBSR class is the most helpful way to learn mindfulness and apply it to their lives. You can find a local group or join one online.
5. Find a mindfulness-based therapist
Many therapists incorporate the principles of mindfulness into their practice. In addition, many evidence-based treatment methods — including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) — rely on mindfulness.
You can always practice mindfulness on your own, but a therapist may be better suited to help you directly apply mindfulness to improve your sleep quality. A therapist can also help you use mindfulness to manage symptoms of any contributing mental health conditions, like PTSD or an anxiety disorder.
Mindfulness is especially effective for people experiencing insomnia because it doesn’t just aim to relax the body. It helps quiet the racing thoughts and worries that often fuel sleeplessness. Unlike some quick relaxation techniques, mindfulness builds a long-term skill of observing thoughts without getting pulled into them, which can break the cycle of anxiety and wakefulness.
Ashley Ayala, LMFT
Clinical reviewer
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Mindfulness can calm your mind and improve your rest, even when sleep feels impossible. Practicing these techniques regularly — on your own or with professional guidance — can make it easier to wind down at night and get the rest you need.
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Saya Des Marais
Saya graduated with her Master in Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in mental health from the University of Southern California in 2010. She formerly worked as a therapist and motivational interviewing trainer in community clinics, public schools, mental health startups, and more.
Her writing has been featured in FORTUNE, GoodRX, PsychCentral, and dozens of mental health apps and therapy websites. Through both her clinical work and her personal OCD diagnosis, she’s learned the importance of making empathetic and accurate mental health content available online.
She lives in Portland, Oregon but you can find her almost just as often in Mexico or in her birthplace, Tokyo.
Ashley Ayala, LMFT
Ashley is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in generational healing and family dynamics. Ashley has worked in schools, clinics, and in private practice. She believes that people’s relationships, including our relationship with ourselves, greatly shape our experiences in life.
Ashley is committed to empowering others to show up authentically and deepen their self understanding. This passion stems from taking a critical lens on her own life story and doing inner healing. One of her favorite quotes is “Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.”
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