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Meditation Versus Sleep
People struggle to find time for work, personal relationships, life tasks, and sleep within the limited hours of the day. Meeting all these demands while ensuring adequate sleep and waking up refreshed can be daunting.
Mindfulness as a Sleep Solution
A study published in the Journal of Business Venturing suggests that practicing mindfulness for 10 minutes each day can have similar positive effects on the brain as getting an additional 44 minutes of sleep every night. This offers a potential solution for individuals who can’t achieve a full eight hours of sleep due to their busy schedules.
Understanding Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves being fully present in the present moment without judgment. It encompasses observing thoughts, feelings, and sensory experiences like taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound. Various mindfulness practices include traditional meditation, deep breathing techniques, and engaging in activities that clear the mind, such as walking.
Research Findings
Researchers conducted two studies on busy individuals to explore the relationship between sleep, mindfulness, and exhaustion. The first study involved 105 entrepreneurs, while the second study included 329 entrepreneurs. Findings from both studies indicated that those who either slept more or engaged in higher levels of mindfulness experienced lower levels of exhaustion.
Limitations and Context
Mindfulness exercises were found to be beneficial for individuals who were short on sleep and feeling stressed. These exercises provided some relief and compensation for the lack of sleep. However, for those who were already getting sufficient sleep but still felt exhausted, mindfulness didn’t significantly improve their feelings of tiredness
Mindfulness vs. Sleep
Mindfulness exercises can’t replace the need for adequate sleep, but they can serve as a complementary approach to managing stress and exhaustion when sleep is limited. It’s important to recognize that mindfulness is most effective when combined with sufficient sleep, and it can offer relief for those facing sleep deficits.
Takeaways
The study highlights the potential of mindfulness to mitigate feelings of exhaustion for individuals with busy schedules and inadequate sleep. It emphasizes the importance of balancing both sleep and mindfulness practices to manage overall well-being and cope with the demands of a busy lifestyle.
Yours truly,
Rachele, Founder
myluegene.com
rachele@mybluegenes.com