Can You Meditate In Bed?

Last Updated on April 16, 2020 by Sloane Marie

Meditation is a beneficial tool that can help guide people toward a more mindful and compassionate life. For various reasons, people may not be able to dedicate a period of time for sitting meditation. Other people may feel that the only time they have available is before sleeping or after waking. Fortunately, meditation in bed is perfectly acceptable. However, there are risks for people who are particularly prone to falling asleep or who live a generally inactive lifestyle. This article will offer information about how to meditate in bed, the dangers associated with it, and tools to overcome these concerns.

Please take this opportunity to learn more about meditation by reading our guide to mindfulness meditation, as this will give you a greater understanding of the techniques and benefits of meditation.

Can You Meditate In Bed

The purpose of meditation is to be aware at all points in your life, including when you are in bed. In fact, many people who practice meditation are able to remain in a concentrated, mindful state throughout the night, rather than sleeping. For many, meditation in bed is part of their daily practice. Additionally, the bedroom is often one of the most tranquil areas in the home. For those with children or a loud home, the bed may be the perfect location for quiet contemplation.

Laying down while meditating is common practice. In fact, practitioners of yoga often end their session in corpse pose, in which they are supine and meditate on the body. You are able to meditate on the couch, the floor, the ground, or wherever you feel is appropriate. What is important is that you are in a situation that makes you feel comfortable and serene.

During this time, you may find that feelings of sleepiness become overwhelming. It is not uncommon for people to fall asleep during meditation, only to wake themselves up with a sudden feeling of negative emotion. If you fall asleep while meditating, it is important not to dwell on regret or feelings of anger. Allow these emotions to fade, and attempt to begin meditation again. Meditation while lying down is often prescribed for people who are overactive, anxious, or aggressive, as this will calm down the mind and body in a manner that walking meditation will not.

Obstacles Associated With Meditation In Bed

Historically, the different positions for meditation are used to support those of different dispositions. Laziness, torpor, sluggishness, and inactivity are aspects of people who are best supported by walking meditation, though people with these qualities are often interested in meditating in bed. Anyone of any disposition can meditate anywhere, but there are concerns that may need to be addressed.

To counteract the desire for sleep while meditating on ones back, it may be beneficial to meditate in a room that is filled with light. For those outside, the sun will work as well. The light from these sources may help keep the practitioner in a state of energized awareness. For others, soft sounds, such as rippling water or the motion of a fan may help keep the mind aware of the outside world. However, it is important to not allow the light or sounds to become the primary focus of the meditation, unless, of course, you are choosing to focus on light or sound for the meditation.

You can meditate in bed, even if you are prone to laziness, though it is much better prescribed to active individuals. People who are physically or mentally jittery will benefit from laying down to meditate. When the body slows, often the mind follows. However, for those who live with an anxious or worried mind, they may find that their thoughts become more controlled by fantasies. If this is the case, it is especially important to not entertain the thoughts associated with desire or aversion.

Additional Tools to Overcome Hurdles

While laying in bed for meditation, you may find that you doze off from time to time. There are simple tools that can help, though Anapanna, or mindful breathing, is always beneficial. When someone who is meditating finds that focusing on the natural pattern of their breath is not enough, they may need some additional advice.

Avoid allowing your arms and hands to lay at your sides or on your chest, if you fall asleep during meditation in bed. Instead, steeple your fingers together, so if they fall down before you are overcome by sleep, you can adjust your hands once again. This will act as a warning sign. Additionally, you may slightly raise your knees, so that when you become too relaxed and your knees fall, you catch yourself become succumbing to sleep.

Lights and sounds have been addressed earlier in this article. Other options are available as well, such as lightly holding a stone or another object in your hand. If you notice that you drop it or it rolls around, then you will feel that your mindfulness is wavering. A smell, such as a cup of warm tea, will help keep the mind aware and awake. Taste, too, can be helpful. You may place a mint leaf on your tongue while meditating, as the taste will help you focus on remaining awake.

Other Tips While Meditating in Bed

When pondering the question, “Can you meditate in bed?” you may find that the reasons this question came into being is based on your preconceptions about meditation. Meditation is not a tool that is to be temporarily applied, rather it is meant to be a lifestyle choice. When practicing meditation, the goal is to meditate every moment of every day. Mindfulness in every aspect of your life will ensure that you are more concentrated and virtuous.

If you are the type of person who lies in bed for hours before falling asleep, then take this time to determine the reasons for why that occurs. It is likely that you are allowing your mind to entertain anxieties, worries, fantasies, or other potentially harmful thoughts. When your mind jumps from scenario to scenario, you are not focusing on the moment at hand – which is where your life is, and where many believe where happiness exists.

For example, you may benefit from putting down the phone or allowing fantasies of the future to fade, and instead focusing on your breathing. When you breath inward, feel the air flow through your nostrils. There is no reason to breath in a particular manner or hold your breath a certain way, as those rules often overcome the mindful state and are little more than blind ritual, which is not beneficial. When you breathe outward, so too should you feel the air flow through your nostrils. Practice this while meditating in bed, and you will have an excellent tool to manage your stress in your waking life. When you feel overburdened, stressed, concerned, or overcome with passion, you can focus on your natural breathing, return to the moment, and act with virtuous mindfulness.