MM 28 Reflection: 21 Day Mindfulness Challenge (Day 18-Have a Mindful Night's Rest)

Welcome to Day Two of the 21-Day Mindfulness Challenge. Please go back to Day One if you are just starting. **Please also see Mindfulness Meditation Six (Mindful Sensations Relaxing Meditation). ** This podcast originally aired a few years ago, but still speaks to this crazy journey we call life! For my most current meditations, healings & guidance please follow me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reiki_with_rachael TikTok: https://bit.ly/3jmX1AF YouTube: https://bit.ly/3iXaBuk You can also visit my website for extensive healing sessions: https://reikiwithrachael.com/ What to expect? Mindful Bedtime and Sleep Prep As the final stage of the day-long mindfulness practice, you are going to focus on being mindful right before sleep. During this period, people like to replay all the events of the day, think about stressful situations in their lives, and plan and/or worry about everything they need to get done the following day. This is not beneficial and can be very detrimental to your sleep quantity and quality. It may be helpful to journal in the evening before you practice mindfulness, especially if bedtime is something you struggle with. You can write down a to-do list for the next day or write anything you need to get out your mind about present or past situations. This is not part of the mindful practice but fosters a beneficial mental state for mindfulness. The instant you get into bed, only focus on sensations during each present moment. Feel the pressure of your body against the mattress and feel the covers touching different areas of your body. Focus on the temperature of your body and if any parts are warmer or cooler. Focus on how your body feels and if parts are tense or relaxed. Focus on your breathing and how the breath feels entering and exiting your lungs. Focus on any sounds and smells. Remember not to place a single judgment on anything you observe. If your partner is listening to TV loudly in the other room, do not say the TV is loud, but simply note it is a sound and move on to other sensations. The less you allow thinking and judgments to enter your mind, the less likely you are to spin into a state of negativity or anxiousness, which prevents you from falling asleep. Note the feelings as you become more tired and allow yourself to drift off naturally. If you fall asleep one minute after lying down, great! Do not feel pressure to stay up just to be mindful, but be mindful for as long as you are awake. If you struggle, pick a mindful meditation that worked well for you and go through it to calm your mind and body in preparation for sleep.