Sleeping Well — An Insight Timer Playlist
LINK TO THE FULL PLAYLIST ON INSIGHT TIMER
ANNOTATED GUIDE by CSC Staff
Disrupted sleep patterns are common in busy, screen-driven modern lives. These contemplations present iterations of several popular aural remedies, from sleep yoga that guides progressive relaxation in the body, to visualization and bedtime narratives, to binaural music that helps the brain decelerate into lower frequency wave patterns conducive to a good night’s rest.
*Note that for ideal functionality, it is best to link to the recordings in this playlist via the Insight Timer app on your mobile device rather than through the Insight Timer website.
Yoga Nidra For Sleep (15:12)
Jennifer Piercy
As the name suggests, Yoga Nidra or “yogic sleep” is just like a yoga class, but rather than exerting oneself in a series of physical postures, the sole “asana” here is one of repose. Yoga Nidra is most similar to the very end of most yoga classes where one lies down and lets go completely into a state of relaxation. This guided contemplation begins with an introduction to the importance of sleep, then shifts to gently direct attention towards each of the senses, relaxing into and accepting the immediate environment, before helping the listener to explore deeper, interior sensations, experiences, and intentions as modes of easing into sleep. If you connect with this teacher’s approach and presentation, try her popular 10-day course: Your Guide to Deeper Sleep.
Deeper Sleep (32:01)
Andrew Johnson
Johnson, who has been teaching mindfulness skills for twenty-five years, recommends listening to this practice three times a week for best results.
UVA student Anna Heyse says, “Johnson’s experience shows in the effectiveness of this meditation. Deeper Sleep is the follow up to Johnson’s Deep Sleep meditation, and I have found I prefer the former more than the latter. I used this meditation for about a month to sleep, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys sticking to what they know. If you enjoy his style, check out his 27-day course 8 Essential Life Skills.
Bedtime Story: Peter and Wendy (81:09)
Glenda Cedarleaf
Who doesn’t love being lulled to sleep with a good bedtime story? In this skillfully abridged reading of J.M. Barrie’s classic novel Peter Pan, the story of Wendy and Peter is entertainingly told over gently undulating music, with dated references from the original text excised for a contemporary audience.
Deep Sleep Meditation with Affirmations (1:43:45)
Kenneth Soares
Designed to be heard through headphones or earbuds, this extended, sonically well-produced track offers a lot of everything to help you sleep: relaxation, visualization, affirmations, and a concluding binaural beat track. Some studies suggest that binaural beats, as applied here, can help induce lower frequency brainwaves that are conducive to stress reduction and more settled sleep. If you are curious about how binaural beats can instill deeper states of relaxation and higher degrees of cognitive performance, see this accessible article in Psychology Today.
