If you cannot sleep then quiet wakefulness could help you to get some good quality rest and achieve some calmness in your life.
It is something that you can do at home, at work or anywhere where you can find somewhere where you will not be disturbed for a short period of time.
Although there is no substitute for good quality sleep, quiet wakefulness can help you to still your mind and rest and could actually help you to get to sleep.
Quiet wakefulness is resting with your eyes closed and clearing your mind of distractions to help you to focus on the here and now and achieve a good state of rest from the day to day stresses of modern life.
Does quiet wakefulness work?
Many people say that it does help them and on a personal level I agree with this.
Although it is not the same as good quality sleep, quiet wakefulness will help you to relax both your mind and your muscles.
As you practice and become more familiar with the process you will become calmer and more able to deal with the problems that life has a habit of presenting to us all.
How to do quiet wakefulness
I’ve practiced this several times having been shown how to do it by a well respected counsellor that lives near to me.
It’s recommended that you sit in a comfortable chair, with your feet on the ground, in a silent room where you won’t be disturbed.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, noting the inhalation and exhalation of your breath.
Feel the floor beneath your feet and work your way up your body with your mind, exploring your legs, waist, chest, arms and all the way up to the top of your head.
Take your time, as though you’ve never seen a body before, all the time focusing on your breathing.
Thoughts will come into your mind – things from the day and other matters.
Acknowledge that they have ‘appeared’ and then park them away, always returning your attention back to your breathing.
Allow yourself to relax, let the tension fall from your shoulders and, as those thoughts appear, acknowledge them, park them and return attention to your breathing.
The idea is for you to relax, to be in the here and now, to put those invasive thoughts to one side and to simply just be.
Always return your focus to your breathing whenever thoughts come into your mind – this act will help those thoughts to disappear while you practice being mindful.
Why is quiet wakefulness helpful?
As you continue to practise and as thoughts appear, try not to resist them or be judgmental about what they are.
Just acknowledge them – ‘Oh look, there’s that thought again’ – and then return your attention back to your breathing.
You will come across some of the same thoughts time and time again until eventually they fade away.
As you progress, ‘troublesome’ thoughts will appear less frequently and become easier to ignore as you learn to let go of them.
The idea is that those troubling thoughts eventually just disappear leaving your mind quiet and still, while you rest in a state of calm awareness with your attention on the here and now.
As you continue to practise quiet wakefulness, you will gain a better understanding of what is important to you in your life and how to live more mindfully.
You’ll learn how not to get caught up in the trivialities of daily life and more able to deal with stress.
At first it may seem hard work but, as you get into the habit of it, you will find that quiet wakefulness becomes a natural part of your day which leaves you feeling more refreshed and gives you more energy to continue with whatever you do next.
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These are the current five best selling resources, available at Amazon, that can help you with your mindfulness journey.
Other benefits
The benefits of practising quiet wakefulness are far reaching and can help you in many different ways.
Quiet waking will:
*increase energy levels (and decrease fatigue)
*help you to be more focused and complete tasks quickly and achieve more in less time
*increase productivity by helping you get things done without becoming distracted
*increase concentration and ability to concentrate long term, providing clarity of thought
*help you to get some rest from the day-to-day stresses of life that can make a real difference.
If you are feeling drowsy or worried before going to sleep at night then quiet wakefulness may help you in those areas as well.
Quiet wakefulness can:
*help you to get to sleep and maintain good, quality sleep
*reduce and eliminate feelings of anxiety or stress that may be keeping you awake at night or prevent you from falling asleep in the first place
*increase focus so that your ability to think clearly is improved when it matters most
*allow you to keep a clear head and a positive mindset so that you can make the right decisions in the moment
Step by step guide to quiet wakefulness
The following is a step by step guide to practising quiet wakefulness:
- Make yourself comfortable
Sit or lie comfortably and close your eyes, focusing on your breathing for a few minutes to get into the ‘zone’.
Take three deep breaths in through your nose (hold each breath for four seconds) and then breathe out slowly through your mouth, making a quiet hissing sound as you breath out.
2. Focus on the present moment
Your mind will wander (it is doing this all the time without you realising) and thoughts will appear in your head, often when you least expect them to, which can be frustrating. But don’t worry about that; it’s inevitable.
Our minds have a tendency to wander when we are trying to focus and keep us on the path of practising quiet wakefulness – like a little devil sitting on our shoulder, nagging away at us or teasing us with thoughts of getting up or doing anything other than staying still and focusing.
When you realise that your mind has wandered, simply bring your attention back to the focus point which in this case is the feeling of breathing.
3. Release any tension or tightness
If you find that there are certain parts of your body where you’re holding tension then gently let go and relax those muscles so they become nice and loose. Focus on each part of your body and relax it until you feel nice and comfortable.
4. Be patient
It may take a while for your mind to get used to this method of relaxation but try not to worry about that; as I said before, the brain naturally wanders away from anything that requires concentration or focus so give yourself time and patience when learning how to practise quiet wakefulness.
5. Be consistent
Like all new things you need to practise this on a regular basis in order for it to become easier and more natural.
If you try this once a week, then that’s great; you might see some benefit from that but if you can do it every day without fail then even better as the benefits will increase and you will find it becoming much easier to do.
Final Words
You may need some time to adjust so don’t feel disheartened if you find yourself struggling on occasion.
Every step of this process takes practice and with regular practise comes positive results that can have a huge impact on your life.
So don’t give up, be patient and enjoy the process.
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