Cultivating Mindfulness to Help Sleep

Talk of mindfulness -- and its capacity to improve health and well being -- seems to be everywhere these days. From stress reduction, to exercise, to eating and weight management, mindfulness practices are increasingly being recognized for their therapeutic benefits. Another benefit to mindfulness? Practicing mindfulness can also improve sleep. First things first: what, exactly, is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a practice of gently focusing one's attention and awareness on the present moment. In a mindful state, we allow ourselves to be aware of any thoughts, feelings, and physical experiences that occur, as well as to be aware of the environment that surrounds us. This moment-to-moment awareness is accompanied by a non-judgmental acknowledgement of any and all thoughts and feelings. When we practice mindfulness, we accept all thoughts and feelings as they come and go, assigning no judgment or criticism to them -- or to ourselves for having them. In a mindful state, with our focus on the present moment, we look neither forward to backward. We don't anticipate what is to come in the future, and we don't re-live the past. The origins of mindfulness trace back thousands of years within Eastern philosophy and religious practice. Mindfulness meditation is a core element of Buddhism. Over the past several decades, we've seen widespread acceptance and enthusiasm for many ideas and practices of Eastern traditions into Western culture. Yoga is one such practice. Mindfulness is anot...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news