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Skip Navigation LinksHow to Sleep Better - Sleep Relaxation ExercisesMental Relaxation

Mental Relaxation

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Put your mind at rest and help your body get some sleep.

Do ideas and thoughts seem to flood your mind at bedtime? These mental relaxation techniques may help you reduce them so you can relax and fall asleep. You can listen to them now, download them for later, or print them out to read as you go.

Thought-Stopping

In thought-stopping, you willfully force your mind to think thoughts that keep you awake. For example, you may think about your boss chewing you out tomorrow. You mull it over, every detail.

Now, try, suddenly, ordering yourself to "Stop!" If the thought creeps back, yell to yourself again, "Stop!" Keep interrupting your unpleasant thought with unpleasant commands to yourself.

There are two explanations why the thought-stopping relaxation technique works:

  • The word Stop! forces an immediate shifting of our attention, which will lead us away from preoccupying thoughts.
  • Thought-stopping proves you have control. That awareness can lead to self-assuring, self-accepting thoughts — thoughts that are more conducive to sleep.

Reverse Psychology

Worrying that you must sleep can cause performance anxiety — and actually keep you awake.

Reversing the thought pattern, telling yourself you must stay awake for as long as possible, can help you become sleepy naturally without putting yourself under pressure.

Breathing

Inhale deeply through your nose. Then pucker your lips, and exhale slowly. Breathe out as long as possible. Imagine that the sound of your breath exhaling is tension draining from your body.

Counting

Counting is another popular relaxation technique. Close your eyes and relax. Count backwards slowly from 100 to zero. Visualize the numbers being written slowly and carefully by a calligrapher, or on a staircase, with the numbers descending with the steps. Use your imagination for other scenarios. Continue until sleep overtakes you.

Creating Pictures

Think of an object that you find simple and pleasing. Study every detail in your mind. Or picture a color shifting into beautiful patterns and hues, blending and changing. Imagine a quiet setting — snowflakes softly falling or a spring day in the country, with cows and horses grazing in a meadow.

Feel the picture by engaging all of your senses. If you're on the beach, feel the sun on your face, your toes in the sand, the breeze on your skin, the ocean air smell.

Floating

Floating can be an effective relaxation technique. Imagine you're floating on air.

Picture yourself floating like a falling leaf, or riding down a long escalator. The lower you float, the calmer you are.

Practice any of these relaxation techniques as often as you like. For more help, read about Muscle Relaxation Techniques.

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† Maximum benefit is $20 off, on up to 5 prescriptions, depending on your out-of-pocket costs. Not valid for patients participating in Medicare, Medicaid, government (public insurance) programs, or any private payor in the state of Massachusetts and where prohibited by law.

AMBIEN CR is indicated to help you fall asleep and/or stay asleep.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

AMBIEN CR is a treatment option you and your healthcare provider can consider along with lifestyle changes and can be taken for as long as your provider recommends. Until you know how AMBIEN CR will affect you, you shouldn't drive or operate machinery. Be sure you're able to devote 7 to 8 hours to sleep before being active again. Sleepwalking, and eating or driving while not fully awake, with amnesia for the event, have been reported. If you experience any of these behaviors contact your provider immediately. In rare cases, sleep medicines may cause allergic reactions such as swelling of your tongue or throat, shortness of breath or more severe results. If you have an allergic reaction while using AMBIEN CR, contact your doctor immediately. Side effects may include next-day drowsiness, dizziness, and headache. It's non-narcotic; however, like most sleep medicines, it has some risk of dependency. Don't take it with alcohol.

Please refer to the full prescribing information and medication guide.

AMBIEN is indicated for short-term treatment, to help you fall asleep.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

When you first start taking AMBIEN, use caution in the morning when engaging in activities requiring complete alertness until you know how you will react to this medication. In most instances, memory problems can be avoided if you take AMBIEN only when you are able to get a full night's sleep (7 to 8 hours) before you need to be active again. As with any sleep medication, do not use alcohol while you are taking AMBIEN.

Sleepwalking, and eating or driving while not fully awake, with amnesia for the event, have been reported. If you experience any of these behaviors contact your provider immediately. In rare cases, sleep medicines may cause allergic reactions such as swelling of your tongue or throat, shortness of breath or more severe results. If you have an allergic reaction while using AMBIEN, contact your doctor immediately.

Prescription sleep aids are often taken for 7 to 10 days – or longer as advised by your provider. Like most sleep medicines, it has some risk of dependency.

There is a low occurrence of side effects associated with the short-term use of AMBIEN. The most commonly observed side effects in controlled clinical trials were drowsiness (2%), dizziness (1%), and diarrhea (1%).

Please refer to the full prescribing information and medication guide.


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