Can You Meditate Lying Down?

Can you meditate lying down? If yes, then why? And if no, then why not?

Meditation has become very popular recently. People from all walks of life are practicing meditation to achieve peace of mind, reduce stress, improve their health, and even get rid of addictions.

Meditation is a practice where you focus on breathing and try to clear your mind of thoughts. There are various types of meditation techniques, such as focusing on a mantra or repeating a word over and over.

Others concentrate by following the breath or visualizing an image called an “anchor” that keeps them focused and calm. Still, others meditate in silence, sitting alone with only themselves for company.

Whatever the practice of choice, it’s totally fine to lay down when you meditate.

When most people think of meditation, they typically imagine someone cross-legged with a giant woodland backdrop behind them as they make repetitive “ommmm” sounds in every out-breath.

The truth is that meditation is more about becoming aware of the present and releasing the tension that is built up inside you. In terms of posture, there is no right or wrong: only the act of meditation that is correct.

Mindfulness is not limited to whether you’re sitting upright or laying down.

Comfort Over Technique

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If you want to commit to meditation, and would like to make it a long-term habit in your daily routine, then making sure you actually enjoy the activity is paramount to your consistency.

If you regularly find yourself in pain because you are not used to sitting cross-legged this can potentially put people off the practice altogether.

And practicing meditation is better than not practicing meditation so removing limiting factors is the best way to keep you focused.

This goes even more so for those with back pain or injuries that prevent them from sitting upright for long periods. And what does pain become? A distraction.

In fact, some meditation practices solely focus on lying down as opposed to more conventional meditative postures such as the Lotus pose.

The secret to meditation posture is having an elongated spine. This is to allow the free flow of energy through your body.

If you are hunched over from the top of the shoulders this will not allow for the free flow of energy to occur. In this instance; lying down is better than forcing a position you cannot control.

Types Of Lying Meditation

If you would prefer to lie down with your meditation, here are a few practices you can try that will help to promote a long and neutral spine.

Savasana (Corpse Pose) Meditation

If you’ve ever practiced yoga before, you would have likely completed your session with this position, as it means to relax the mind and body after some potentially difficult poses.

To do this, simply lie on your back with a neutral spine, with your palms facing upwards that is relaxed by your waist. Relax your shoulder blades and let your feet feel heavy.

Body Scanning

This is a relaxation technique that lets you connect with the energy flow of your body. When you are lying down your muscles are less activated and are much more relaxed as opposed to switched on.

This way it can be easy to scan through each part of your body and allow your mind to give it attention.

Body scans are a powerful technique to reduce stress and anxiety as they focus your energy on different parts of the body. Simply feel for the vibration that flows through your left leg.

Then feel the energy that flows through your right leg. Then your right arm, left arm, torso, and finally, you will feel an energy flowing throughout your entire body.

Sleep Meditation

We often get asked if we should fall asleep when meditating, and the answer is yes: this is commonly referred to as sleep meditation!

Insufficient or bad quality sleep is one of the biggest problems facing our health in the modern day. Because of stress, too much stimulation from screens, and people pushing their bedtime so they can get more done has led to a decrease in sleep.

Sleep is important because it helps to fight inflammation, improve our immunity, and help us recover physically and mentally.

Guided sleep meditations are a great way to help get to sleep and can be used for a regular bedtime, or for a way to nap during the day.

Semi-Supine Meditation

You don’t have to be completely flat in order to practice lying meditation. You can also lie in a semi-supine position with either your knees bent, or by placing a pillow underneath your shoulders so that your upper body is in an incline position.

Make sure to keep a natural curvature of the spine and maintain a relaxed state in your feet, hands, shoulders, and head.

Final Thoughts

Lying down is not only comfortable but relaxing which is perfect for practicing meditation. It’s important to find what works best for you and your lifestyle, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to meditation.

Of course, you could also mix up your posture and try both lying down meditation as well as upright postures to see what works best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

I Keep Falling Asleep When I Meditate Lying Down. How Can I Prevent This?

The best way to prevent yourself from falling asleep is to keep your eyes open throughout the duration of your lying meditation session.

How Do You Do Lying Down Mindfulness Meditation?

Remove all distractions from the room you intend to meditate in. Things like your phone and devices that have notifications on them. Then, focus on the breath and feel the warm air going in through the nose and out through the nose.

How Do You Do A Guided Meditation Lying Down?

Pick a recording that you would like to meditate with. Lie down either on your bed or on a comfortable floor position.

Focus on the person’s voice, whilst remembering to breathe slowly throughout the practice. You can turn the lights off if you want to feel even more relaxed.