Use a mantra: the mindfulness instructor’s secret weapon for better sleep

While I admittedly fall asleep easily these days (thanks to exhaustion induced by working full time with two young children mostly at home, during a global pandemic), I’ve struggled with insomnia at various points in my adult life. “I’m thankful for this time to rest” is a mantra and a mentality that has quite literally saved my sanity on more than one occasion.

What exactly is “mantra” anyway?

Mantra is a Sanskrit word, which can be translated as “mind release,” and is the practice of repeating a particular sound, phrase, prayer or word to aid in concentration and meditation. Overarousal of the mind is often the culprit when it comes to insomnia, so anything that slows brain activity and moves us toward a more meditative state is going to be a natural sleep aid. In other words, relaxing the mind through mantra can create an internal environment conducive to sleep. 

How to use mantra for faster sleep

Let go, to sleep

Sleep does not respond well to pressure. The more we crave it, and the more we command (ahem, plead with?) our body and mind succumb to it, the less likely we are to get a taste of the elusive zzz’s we so desire. This is the great irony and frustration of sleep -- it cannot be willed. 

In our achievement-driven society, most of us find this truth to be quite dissatisfying. The greater the desire and the harder the work, the greater the likelihood of success, right? Well, wrong -- when it comes to sleep. Quite contrary to the mindset we so naturally embrace as we push toward our goals, drifting off to sleep is all about letting go. Letting go of that push, letting go of our day, letting go of our constant stream of thoughts, and letting go of our go-go-go-minds. 

As we learn to loosen our craving for sleep, we allow sweet slumber to find us, rather than us desperately pining for it. Mantra is a simple and accessible tool to help facilitate our “letting go.”

“I am thankful for this time to rest”

Gratitude plus an invitation to rest the body - you can’t beat this combination when it comes to a pro-positivity and pro-sleep frame of mind.

My favorite mantra for sleep

“I’m thankful for this time to rest.”

Gratitude plus an invitation to rest the body - you can’t beat this combination when it comes to a pro-positivity and pro-sleep frame of mind. You may not sleep all night, but you can definitely rest! 

Sample sleep mantras for parents

If a statement or positive affirmation such as the above feels too tedious, you could try the mantra:

I rest. I rest. I rest.

Or even more simply,

Rest. Rest. Rest. 

Or, perhaps the word peace or calm resonates more with you than rest. For example, “I am thankful for this peace,” or “I am peaceful,” or “Peace. Peace. Peace.” or “Calm. Calm. Calm.”

Choosing a sleep mantra that works

Truly, any positive statement, prayer, sound, or word can be an effective mantra at bedtime. By repeating your mantra as you lay in bed, you’ll release your tired mind of it’s tireless preoccupations.

Combat sleep problems with a sleep mantra

When I crawl into bed, and take notice of my cozy sheets and blanket, comfortable mattress, and my general satisfaction with the fact that no one needs me at that particular moment, I truly feel grateful for the opportunity to rest. Couple that with “I am thankful for this time to rest” as a mantra, and sleep tends to find its way to me in my comfortable bed. 

When you use a sleep mantra, you’ll let go of your fixation on sleep as you focus your attention elsewhere. You’ll also set yourself up for a win, because the goal with mantra is simple: repeat the mantra and don’t sweat it if your mind wanders -- just bring your attention back to the mantra whenever you notice that it’s drifted elsewhere. 

As your mind wanders, and you bring it back to your mantra, you’ve also strengthened your power concentration. You’ve infused your subconscious with positivity, activated the parasympathetic nervous system, and created an internal environment more conducive to sleep. 

Fall asleep faster

So tonight, how about making your goal mantra and relaxation, rather than sleep? Take the pressure off of yourself! And well, to put it bluntly, you simply can’t force sleep no matter how hard you try, so what’s the point? Plus, the benefits of repeating a mantra are profound, and far healthier stressing, tossing, and turning. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll fall asleep before you get a chance to realize that you’ve reached your goal of relaxation. 

Got a baby or kid who’s wrecking your sleep?

Now that we’ve talked about your sleep, let’s talk about your little(s). We’re here to help you if your infant, toddler, or child is having trouble falling asleep, waking at night (or too early in the morning - yikes!), or struggling at naptime. Schedule a sleep coaching session here or let us guide you to better sleep with our Stellar Sleep Course. 

Sleep mantra FAQs

Do I have to repeat the mantra out loud? 

While chanting aloud can be especially impactful (via stimulation of the vagus nerve, if you want to go deeper into the science), mantra, whether it’s silent recited, whispered, or chanted at full blast, is a powerful meditation and therapy tool. So if you’re concerned about being heard, or you’re too damn tired to chant, feel free to do so in your head. But I urge you to try chanting aloud sometime -- your baby will love it, your kiddos might just leave you alone, and if you have a co-parent or partner, they can deal or join -- because the feeling of the mantra vibrating through your body is a natural high that all parents deserve to savor.  

What are some other mantras I could try? 

Any positive statement, prayer, sound, or word can be an effective mantra at bedtime. Don’t get too hung up on picking the right sound or words. 

“It’s time to let go.”

“Each breath relaxes me more.”

“I welcome rest into my mind and body.”

“All is well and I’m at peace.”

Can mantra help my baby and child(ren) sleep better too? 

You bet your sweet sleep it can! Mantra is an awesome tool for activating the parasympathetic nervous system (aka the Chillax Mechanism). And when we’re calmer, our babies are too. Studies show that children mimic their caregivers’ emotions. So when you’re anxious or frustrated, your child absorbs this crappy emotional energy. When you’re peaceful and chillaxed, they absorb this too. Scientists call this phenomenon neuroregulation. Do you want your baby to absorb the chillax or the crazy? Mantra can help! 

Try repeating a mantra or affirmation as you snuggle at the end of the bedtime routine, or as you lay your little one down for sleep.