How to Stop Twitching in Your Sleep
Meditate., Focus on your breath., Try progressive muscle relaxation., Do deep breathing exercises.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Meditate.
Listen to a guided meditation right before bed.
Videos and recordings are freely available online, and you don’t need to do any research about meditation to begin using this relaxation technique.
The benefits of meditation revolve around the practice’s ability to distract you from thoughts and feelings that may be causing you physical turmoil, even while you sleep.Guided meditations will give your clear, simple instructions that are easy to follow.
When choosing a guided meditation, be sure to choose a video or recording with a voice and pace that you enjoy.
It’s best to choose a video earlier in the day and save it for use later. -
Step 2: Focus on your breath.
One particularly effective meditation technique involves practicing mindfulness.
To do so, simply focus your attention entirely on one thing, such as your breath.
For instance, think about how it feels as air enters and exits your body.
It may also help to repeat the same thought with each breath.
For instance, simply think the word “relax” each time your exhale.Mindfulness has consistently been proven to help increase both the quality and the duration of people’s sleep, and to decrease the number of disturbances people experience while sleeping.
In fact, mindfulness has been proven equally as effective as some medications in treating sleep-related conditions.When thoughts arise that momentarily distract you, simply push them away.
Do not contemplate why you are thinking certain things, or become angry with yourself.
Simply let the thought go and return your focus to whatever you’d been meditating on. , This is both a physical and mental exercise that can help calm both your body and mind.
By focusing on specific muscles, you draw your mind away from stress, and wind up relaxing your muscles in the process.
Do the exercise right before or after climbing into bed, and whatever position you feel most comfortable.Before you begin, take a minute to focus on your breath.
Breathe deeply and slowly.
After a deep inhale, flex the muscles of your toes and feet and count to four.
Exhale slowly and allows your muscles to relax.
Repeat the process for your different muscle groups, moving up your body.
For instance, after the next inhalation, flex the muscles in your lower legs.
Continue to your upper legs, abdomen and lower back, chest and upper back, fingers and hands, lower arms, upper arms, and shoulders and neck.
Finally, after another deep inhalation, flex the muscles of your face.
You will likely have to make a funny face to do so.
On the final inhalation of a complete cycle, tense all of the muscles in your body.
After holding the tension for a count of four, release this tension as you slowly exhale.
Repeat the entire process three times through.
As with many relaxation exercises, you can find free videos and recordings online that will guide you through progressive muscles relaxation. , Many meditation and other relaxation exercises benefit from deep breathing.
In fact, deep breathing alone can relax your muscles, slow your heart rate, reduce anxiety, and diminish disturbing thoughts.
There are two main factors to be mindful of while learning to breathe more deeply.
First, breathe all the way into your abdomen.
Second, maintain a slow and steady breathing rate.More specifically, start by closing your eyes and focusing your attention on your breath.
Place one hand on your lower belly, and the other on your upper chest.
Inhale through your nose for five seconds, trying to bring your breath as deep into your body as possible.
Your goal is making the hand on your belly rise, while the hand on your chest only moves a bit.
While this may be challenging, you can quickly improve your ability to do so with practice.
After inhaling, hold your breath for five seconds, and exhale for five seconds.
Repeat this breathing practice for five minutes.
Even better, do this breathing practice lying in bed as you wait to fall asleep.
Not only will it help you do so, it will help your body and mind calm down as they drift off the sleep.
Find a free video online to help guide you through a few deep breathing exercises if you’re just learning.
Many include visual reminders to help you keep a steady pace, for instance. -
Step 3: Try progressive muscle relaxation.
-
Step 4: Do deep breathing exercises.
Detailed Guide
Listen to a guided meditation right before bed.
Videos and recordings are freely available online, and you don’t need to do any research about meditation to begin using this relaxation technique.
The benefits of meditation revolve around the practice’s ability to distract you from thoughts and feelings that may be causing you physical turmoil, even while you sleep.Guided meditations will give your clear, simple instructions that are easy to follow.
When choosing a guided meditation, be sure to choose a video or recording with a voice and pace that you enjoy.
It’s best to choose a video earlier in the day and save it for use later.
One particularly effective meditation technique involves practicing mindfulness.
To do so, simply focus your attention entirely on one thing, such as your breath.
For instance, think about how it feels as air enters and exits your body.
It may also help to repeat the same thought with each breath.
For instance, simply think the word “relax” each time your exhale.Mindfulness has consistently been proven to help increase both the quality and the duration of people’s sleep, and to decrease the number of disturbances people experience while sleeping.
In fact, mindfulness has been proven equally as effective as some medications in treating sleep-related conditions.When thoughts arise that momentarily distract you, simply push them away.
Do not contemplate why you are thinking certain things, or become angry with yourself.
Simply let the thought go and return your focus to whatever you’d been meditating on. , This is both a physical and mental exercise that can help calm both your body and mind.
By focusing on specific muscles, you draw your mind away from stress, and wind up relaxing your muscles in the process.
Do the exercise right before or after climbing into bed, and whatever position you feel most comfortable.Before you begin, take a minute to focus on your breath.
Breathe deeply and slowly.
After a deep inhale, flex the muscles of your toes and feet and count to four.
Exhale slowly and allows your muscles to relax.
Repeat the process for your different muscle groups, moving up your body.
For instance, after the next inhalation, flex the muscles in your lower legs.
Continue to your upper legs, abdomen and lower back, chest and upper back, fingers and hands, lower arms, upper arms, and shoulders and neck.
Finally, after another deep inhalation, flex the muscles of your face.
You will likely have to make a funny face to do so.
On the final inhalation of a complete cycle, tense all of the muscles in your body.
After holding the tension for a count of four, release this tension as you slowly exhale.
Repeat the entire process three times through.
As with many relaxation exercises, you can find free videos and recordings online that will guide you through progressive muscles relaxation. , Many meditation and other relaxation exercises benefit from deep breathing.
In fact, deep breathing alone can relax your muscles, slow your heart rate, reduce anxiety, and diminish disturbing thoughts.
There are two main factors to be mindful of while learning to breathe more deeply.
First, breathe all the way into your abdomen.
Second, maintain a slow and steady breathing rate.More specifically, start by closing your eyes and focusing your attention on your breath.
Place one hand on your lower belly, and the other on your upper chest.
Inhale through your nose for five seconds, trying to bring your breath as deep into your body as possible.
Your goal is making the hand on your belly rise, while the hand on your chest only moves a bit.
While this may be challenging, you can quickly improve your ability to do so with practice.
After inhaling, hold your breath for five seconds, and exhale for five seconds.
Repeat this breathing practice for five minutes.
Even better, do this breathing practice lying in bed as you wait to fall asleep.
Not only will it help you do so, it will help your body and mind calm down as they drift off the sleep.
Find a free video online to help guide you through a few deep breathing exercises if you’re just learning.
Many include visual reminders to help you keep a steady pace, for instance.
About the Author
Frank Sanchez
Experienced content creator specializing in DIY projects guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: