Wu-Wei. This Chinese phrase translates to “doing nothing”, most famously found in the famous Tao-te Ching, a philosophical and spiritual text written by Laozi, known to be the founder of Daoism, around 400 BC. The concept can be described as a paradox since it can be interpreted as being lazy or not acting at all.
But in actuality it sends the message that effortless action must be encouraged, by executing tasks with efficiency and skill. The state of flow or “being in the
Highlights
- Sleep meditation is believed to aid a self-induced state of calm, which is achieved through respiration techniques, observation and visualization,
- The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive decision-making processes, displays that this practice engages and potentially develops meta-cognitive awareness,
- Visualization routines aid as a catalyst in entering a trance state, utilizing the parasympathetic nervous system to launch you into a peaceful mindset to engage your body-repair systems, similar to undertaking the process of hypnosis.
Sleep meditation
Tracing its roots to ancient India, yoga nidra,or the practice of sleep meditation, relies on the philosophy of Laozi as well as on research and science for its practical application.
Sleep meditation refers to a state of pseudo sleep that helps to fall asleep easily and maintain shallow sleep while the body and mind are still wakeful. It can be termed a protocol of non-sleep deep rest (NSDR), which was coined by reputed neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman of the Stanford University of Medicine.
Sleep meditation is believed to aid a self-induced state of calm, which is achieved through respiration techniques, observation and visualization. The system behind the enactment of this process has proved to improve quality of sleep, the ability to handle stressors, effective retention of memory, enhanced neuroplasticity and the productive sustentation of focus.
The science
The activation of the parasympathetic nervous system to trigger a state of calmness, coupled with the action of the somatosensory neurons, is the foundation of this form of meditation.
A group of 21 neuro-imaging studies examined the differences in brain regions between two sets of participants: meditators and non-meditators. They found brain regions that highlight consistent variances, such as the prefrontal cortex, sensory cortices, hippocampus and insula, as well as cingulate cortices for meta awareness and emotion regulation.
The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive decision-making processes, displays that this practice engages and potentially develops meta-cognitive awareness. The somatomotor cortex, responsible for sensory information, shows that long-term meditators exhibit higher tolerance to painful stimuli.
The insula shows greater and more extensive attention to body posture, breathing patterns and sensitivity to temperature, in relation to those who did not meditate. Also breathing helps in improving Blood glucose levels.
The hippocampus, responsible for memory and experiential learning, presented data aligned with a reduction in stress and modulation of emotional states, while the cingulate cortices highlighted focused problem-solving abilities and adaptive behavioural responses.
Actionables
This state of NSDR can be achieved through a guided process, with either an expert practitioner by your side taking you through the steps or through the perusal of the appropriate video or podcast. It can be entirely self-induced as well, which involves only you asking your mind to relax and guiding it towards healing.
The process typically starts with a virtual ‘body scan’, where you shift your attention away from all pre-existing thoughts and distractions and towards different parts of your body, one by one. As you concentrate on each region, from your head to toe, you will gently begin to notice various sensations, such as tightness, tingling, tension and heaviness.
You are required to sensitively release tension from each part, by focusing your respiration on that particular region, inhaling and exhaling into that fragment of your body and just letting go—in other words, applying the wu wei concept.
Ways to improve your sleep-meditation journey
- Breathing exercises such as counting your inspirations (inhalations) and expirations (exhalations) allow your mind to slow down with your breath, giving time to intersect with a state of mindful sleep.
- Gratitude-based practices such as being kind and grateful towards yourself benefit the quality of sleep and the robustness of meditation.
- Visualization routines aid as a catalyst in entering a trance state, utilizing the parasympathetic nervous system to launch you into a peaceful mindset to engage your body-repair systems, similar to undertaking the process of hypnosis.
Conclusion
The entirety of the parasympathetic nervous system is at play while in a state of meditative sleep, as the body firstly relaxes and is in a state of calm brought about by the lowering of the heart rate. This is why sometimes doing nothing is another way of allowing natural processes to do their job, rather than allowing constant input into your system, which can be damaging to the body and mind after a certain point.
The meditative aspect is what keeps the mind wakeful, cognitively active but physiologically healing, psychologically learning and behaviourally adapting. Sleep meditation allows for a sound and introspective experience in which to alleviate pain and stress to achieve plasticity, better sleep and focus direction.
Sleep meditation enables the engagement of a fragmented thought process that is simpler to break down and process, thereby helping in developing a more fluid state of mind that can immensely boost the immune system and performance.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for general information and educational purposes only. It neither provides any medical advice nor intends to substitute professional medical opinion on the treatment, diagnosis, prevention or alleviation of any disease, disorder or disability. Always consult with your doctor or qualified healthcare professional about your health condition and/or concerns and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen including making any dietary or lifestyle changes.
References
- Is meditation associated with altered brain structure? A systematic review and meta-analysis of morphometric neuroimaging in meditation practitioners – ScienceDirect.
- Frontiers | Meditation and Its Regulatory Role on Sleep | Neurology
- Defining Yoga-Nidra: Traditional Accounts, Physiological Research, and Future Directions
- wuwei | Chinese philosophy | Britannica.
