Only 4 hours of sleep

This week I heard a lecture by the remarkable Mr. S.N. Goenka.

Mr. Goenka has been teaching a type of meditation called Vipassana meditation for almost 40 years. This type of meditation is the closest in technique to that which the Buddha himself taught, and is based on awareness of bodily sensations as a tool to develop concentration of mind, equanimity, and happiness.
Mr. Goenka, in an off hand statement during the lecture, said that people who regularly practice Vipassana find that they need less sleep. He said that on average it might be one hour less of sleep each day. Interestingly, he said that sometimes only 3 or 4 hours of sleep is necessary in order to feel rested the next day.

The key to getting by with less sleep was practicing meditation during the night if one could not sleep. His technique is one in which the person focuses on bodily sensations but does not react to them. Practitioners keep a calm and focused mind, but accept the situation as it is, knowing that it will change sooner or later.
This reminded me of some of the advice we give patients with insomnia. In fact, a key aspect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia is to re-assess your beliefs and attitudes about sleep. For example, part of the therapy involves spending less time in bed when you are sleeping poorly, with the knowledge that such behavior will improve sleep in the long run. In addition, some type of mental or physical relaxation training is suggested in order to deal with stress and anxiety.

Do people who meditate really require less sleep? I don't know, but I do know that this type of mental activity is an important part of the treatment of insomnia. I have mentioned several places to learn more about relaxation techniques in previous blog posts.J. Steven Poceta MD is a licensed practitioner of neurology and sleep disorders who has been engaged by Revolution Health. No information in this blog is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The opinions expressed here are Dr. Poceta's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health.

-- Kill Your Insomnia and Sleep Well Tonight! --