25 Sleep Meditations To Help You Catch Some Zs Fast

Frequently, falling asleep isn't as easy as we'd like it to be. Even after a tiring day of work, many people find themselves lying in bed at night, eyes wide open, hoping that sleep will eventually arrive. In fact, nearly 70% of Americans say they suffer from poor sleep at least once a month (via Sleephealth).

While the jury is still out on whether "beauty sleep" is actually real, there are a host of other issues that can arise when you don't get enough proper rest. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night to be at peak performance the following day. 

If you're not getting enough rest, it puts both your mental and physical health at serious long-term risk. But, when you can't fall asleep, you don't have to suffer in silence. There are plenty of free, powerful sleep meditations that will help you catch some all-important Zs fast, so grab your headphones and have a listen. 

If you like short sleep meditations, you'll enjoy listening to the "10-Minute Meditation for Sleep." This quick practice incorporates breathing exercises and music to calm your mind and body. Once you achieve relaxation, you'll drift into a deep and peaceful slumber.

The "10-Minute Meditation for Sleep" was created by John Davisi, who also narrates. According to his website, Davisi, who's got more than 100 meditation videos posted on his YouTube channel for you to choose from, specializes in mindful meditation and mental well-being in his work as "a certified professional coach, consultant, and advisor." 

Everyone has occasional restless nights — something as simple as drinking coffee or another caffeinated drink shortly before bed can cause you to toss and turn when you should be sleeping soundly. But if you're unable to nod off night after night, you could suffer from a common sleep disorder called insomnia. 

Mayo Clinic notes that the causes of insomnia could be anything from excessive stress or a traumatic event in your life. People struggling with insomnia might find this guided sleep meditation helpful for calming their minds before bed, since it promises to soothe the symptoms of stress and anxiety. 

If it's anxiety that's keeping you up at night, you're not alone. Anxiety disorders affect more people than any other mental health condition (via Mental Health America). Nearly 20% of Americans display signs of having an anxiety disorder, and women are more likely to be affected by the condition than men.

The symptoms of anxiety can be difficult to deal with when you're trying to fall asleep. Sometimes natural scenery, as this easy, 1-minute TikTok sleep meditation showcases, can be enough to quiet your system so you can finally get some shut-eye. 

Feeling wound up, distracted, or anxious? You could be stressed out. According to Healthline, stress is a natural response our bodies give when faced with a threatening situation. For our ancestors, that threat might have been a dangerous wild animal. For us, it could simply be an overwhelming day at work.

Even though feeling stressed every now and then is normal, prolonged stress could be detrimental to your health. This peaceful, imagery-filled meditation created by Mindful Movement, the leaders in stress relief, promises to give listeners "effortless relaxation and stress relief for a deep healing sleep." 

Clearing your mind of the hustle and bustle of everyday life is hard to do at the best of times. But once you achieve this, you'll be able to focus instead on your personal desires for yourself and the future. That's exactly what this sleep meditation from Jason Stephenson guides you into doing. 

The narrator coaxes you deeper into your thoughts to help you better understand yourself and your needs. It's especially great for recalibration when you find you're losing sight of what's important. 

Listening to a ten-hour-long sleep meditation isn't going to cut it when you have work in the morning. If you're short on time but still eager to be soothed at bedtime, give this enchanting TikTok sleep meditation a try. 

The Tibetan singing bowls used in the video bring listeners to a place of relaxation and peace in less than five minutes. Along with promoting relaxation, listening to singing bowls could potentially improve blood pressure and lower your cortisol levels too, per Healthline. 

Motherhood is a wonderful thing, but there's no use pretending that the responsibility of caring for a newborn doesn't take its toll. Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after they've given birth, causing them to feel anxious, depressed, or just plain exhausted (via Postpartum Depression).

To help you combat the symptoms of postpartum depression that are keeping you awake at night, try listening to this affirmation meditation before bed. And remember, if you've been diagnosed with postpartum depression, it's important to talk to your doctor to help you get started on the proper steps toward treatment. 

All parents know how tiring it is to get their kids away from their screens and tucked up in bed — particularly on a school night. While you might tire yourself out during the process of prepping your children, chances are they're still buzzing with energy when it's bedtime.

Instead of getting frustrated, we suggest playing a sleep meditation for your kids after they've been tucked in for the night. This 8-hour YouTube sleep meditation is perfect for imaginative young children who enjoy a good bedtime story. 

Picture yourself tucked away safely in bed while rain pours outside and a thunderstorm rumbles in the distance. If this scenario feels relaxing, you may enjoy listening to brown noise to help you fall asleep. 

According to U.S. News & World Report, brown noise is recognized as a low sound with fewer high-frequency noises than white noise. Its rumbling, deep sounds have made it one of the more popular methods for sleep meditation. 

When you're in the middle of dreaming, you normally don't feel in control of what you're seeing. Like a movie, you simply sit back and watch what happens next. This sleep meditation promises a better overall dreaming experience where you can gain control over what you see and do. 

This is a rare phenomenon known as lucid dreaming, which usually only occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep when there is more brain activity (via WebMD). 

When you think of sleep hypnosis, you may picture a creepy, grinning doctor swinging a pendulum in front of your face and controlling your every move. The truth is that sleep hypnosis is much more grounded in science than pop culture would have you believe. 

The Sleep Foundation clarifies that sleep hypnosis is a type of mind-body medicine that has been used to treat anxiety and depression and to alter risky behaviors such as smoking. Instead of lulling you to sleep, this hypnotic guided meditation will alleviate any negative thoughts and tension so you can fall asleep in the future with ease. 

Do you ever look at the stars and wonder what and who else is out there? You won't have to wonder anymore once you put on your headphones and listen to this deep-space sleep meditation. The narrator's serene voice takes you on a journey through it all, guiding your mind's eye into seeing places that we could only ever dream of. 

The rumbling soundwaves in this video are indicative of the vast tranquility of outer space. This is a great meditation for anyone who enjoys stargazing and brown noise. 

There's something undeniably cozy about falling asleep while there's a downpour happening outside. If you live in a house with a tin roof, it's an even more relaxing experience. It's not just your imagination either; rain really does make you sleepy. 

According to Sleep Bubble, it's even classified as pink noise, which "overpowers all other senses, lulling our brains into a sedated, relaxed state."  The slow and steady sound of rain, therefore, helps to relax your brain and ease you off to sleep, so this TikTok is ideal. 

Out of all the noise types, white noise has garnered the most attention when it comes to sleep benefits. That's why it's heard in so many sleep meditations, like this nature sleep practice. TIME magazine describes white noise as mostly made up of whispery, static sounds, much like what you hear when you flip to a TV channel that isn't broadcasting. 

Sleep experts suggest listening to white noise at night for anyone who doesn't like sleeping in complete silence. White noise can also be helpful to block out intrusive sounds, such as a particularly chatty roommate or late-night traffic. 

In this comforting sleep meditation, Lauren Ostrowski Fenton leads listeners into a deep sleep fast with her calming voice, breathing exercises, and astral soundwaves. Deep sleep is the third stage in the sleep cycle and is proven to be the one at which your body is at its most relaxed (via Sleep Foundation). 

Your breathing and heart rate slow down significantly, muscle tension is released, and you move into a state of total decompression. REM sleep and a sweet dream are just one step away from the deep sleep stage. 

Binaural beats have only recently emerged onto the scene of sound wave therapy, but people are already falling in love with them. Medical News Today confirms that binaural beats consist of the difference in frequencies registered between your left and right ear. 

The sound oscillates from one to the other. For this reason, it's highly suggested that you listen to binaural beats with headphones on. Fans of pink, brown, and white noise generators will find these melodic beats perfect for nodding off, making this a must-listen. 

Not only does this sleeping meditation have music that will relax you, but its beautiful, hypnotic scenery will also aid you in your quest for sleep. The video asks viewers to stare at the center of their screen where there is a glimmering six-pointed star. 

Blips of color move toward the viewer at a fast pace and then twist apart to form a kaleidoscopic pattern that looks like it's straight out of a dream. It's the perfect combination of music and visuals to get you ready for bed. 

Dr. Lee R. Bartel is a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, where he has led the way in the study of music medicine and the effects of music on your body. 

"Drifting into Delta" was scientifically designed by Dr. Bartel to aid in the promotion of delta waves in your brain. Delta waves are closely associated with deep or slow-wave sleep, the stage at which your body is in its most relaxed state (via Verywell Mind). 

"Sleep talk down" is something that pops up a lot in the meditation community. The term might confuse you if you're new to the world of sleep meditation, but it simply equates to your meditation guide "talking you down" to a place of relaxation. 

Once your body's relaxed, it's much easier for you to nod off. This sleep talk-down guided meditation is accompanied by soothing sounds of nature, making it easy to picture yourself in the middle of a tranquil forest. 

So many sleep meditations opt to go straight into breathing exercises to get your body to shut down for the night. But if you're someone who prefers more meaning behind their meditation time, you'll enjoy listening to something that incorporates positive affirmations too, such as this video which promises to "reprogram your mind while you sleep." 

Positive affirmations guide you away from the self-critical thinking that can lead to negativity and feelings of unworthiness. Self-love techniques inspire a greater understanding of who you are and how you should treat yourself with the kindness you deserve. 

The meditation experts at Headspace have just the cure for anyone who has racing thoughts at night when they wish they could be sleeping. If you haven't heard of Headspace, you're missing out. They created an app for people who want a more customized meditational experience that fits their individual needs. 

Headspace's meditation for racing minds is a quiet, voice-only experience, ideal for people who aren't fans of background music at bedtime. You will refocus and feel relaxed enough to sleep after just ten short minutes. 

Negative thoughts may start off in your head, but they have a nasty way of spreading to other parts of your body, too. According to Marque Medical Healthcare, holding onto negative thoughts and feelings can result in worsening headaches, chest pain, stomach problems, and, you guessed it, sleep issues. 

The next time you feel weighed down by negativity, listen to this meditation. It will uplift your spirit and put you in a positive mindset so you'll start off the next day on the right foot following what's hopefully a restful night. 

Toxic energy can enter your mind in a number of ways. You may have found out that someone's been talking about you behind your back, or maybe a relative made a snide remark about you during dinner. Either way, you're back home now and still fuming, even though it's been hours since the incident occurred. 

When your mind is weighed down by toxic emotions from the day, you might have trouble relaxing when bedtime approaches. Listening to meditational music can help you expel toxic energy from your mind while lulling you to sleep accordingly. 

It can be extremely frustrating when you open your eyes after falling asleep and see that it's only 2 o'clock in the morning. It's even more worrisome when you can't doze off again. However, the worst thing you can do after waking up in the middle of the night is panic. 

In a TikTok video, Dr. Michael Breus, AKA the "Sleep Doctor," advised that you should do your best to relax even after waking up too early. Keeping yourself in a calm and relaxed state will still rejuvenate your body, even if you're not asleep, and this meditation should help. 

Half of the journey of a good night's rest is falling asleep in the first place. The second part is staying asleep. Sometimes it's not the "going to sleep" that's difficult but instead the "staying asleep" part. Luckily, fixing the problem could be as simple as changing up your lifestyle choices. 

According to Harvard Medical School, the inability to stay asleep could be caused by eating late at night, napping throughout the day, or consuming too much caffeine. Pair wiser decisions with this deep sleep meditation, and you are much more likely to make it through the entire night without stirring.