In short: a Buddhist sleep meditation is a few quiet minutes in bed: lie on your right side (the "lion's posture" from AN 4.246), let the breath slow down, wish yourself and others well, and let the day go. The Buddha named "you sleep at ease" as the first benefit of loving-kindness (AN 11.15). Here is a 10-minute version you can follow tonight.
What the Buddha said about sleeping well
On a freezing mid-winter night, a young prince found the Buddha sitting on a thin mat of leaves by a cow-path and asked if he had slept well. The answer surprised him:
"Yes, prince, I slept well. I am one of those who sleep at ease in the world."
AN 3.35 · The full story: "I sleep well".
A soft bed, the Buddha explained, can't help someone burning with greed, hate or confusion. What keeps us awake is mostly what the mind is still holding. That is why the practice below is less about the body and more about putting the day down.
Read the full guide
A 10-minute sleep meditation
- Lie down like a lion (1 minute). Turn onto your right side, one foot resting on the other. Let your head be heavy on the pillow.
- Three slow breaths (1 minute). Breathe in normally, and let each out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath. Don't force it.
- Put the day down (2 minutes). Recall the day once, quickly, from morning to now, like watching a film at double speed. Whatever comes up, say silently: "That was today. It's done."
- Three good moments (2 minutes). Notice three small things that went well, even on a hard day: a meal, a kind word, a moment of rest.
- Loving-kindness (3 minutes). Silently, slowly: "May I be well. May I be at ease. May I sleep peacefully." Then picture someone you love, then everyone in your home, then all beings: "May they be well. May they be at ease."
- Let go (1 minute). Stop the words. Rest with the breath, and if you're still awake, simply begin again at step 2.
Why loving-kindness helps sleep
When the Buddha listed the benefits of a heart developed in love (mettā), sleep came first:
"What eleven? You sleep at ease. You wake happily. You don't have bad dreams."
AN 11.15 · More: the eleven benefits of mettā and how to practice metta.
A kind wish is the opposite of the rehearsing, worrying and arguing that keep a tired mind awake. You don't need to feel loving for it to work. Just repeat the words gently and let them be enough.
The lion's posture
The Buddha described four ways of lying down. The lion's way is the one monks traditionally follow:
"The lion, king of beasts, lies down on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other, with his tail tucked between his thighs."
AN 4.246
If lying on your right side isn't comfortable for you, any restful position is fine. The point is to lie down on purpose, not just to collapse.
If you wake in the night
Don't fight it. Go back to step 2: three slow breaths, then a few kind wishes. If your mind is busy with tomorrow, tell it gently: "Tomorrow will come. Right now, rest."
This practice can help you wind down, but it is not a treatment for insomnia. If you have ongoing trouble sleeping, please talk to a doctor.
Prefer to scan the body as you fall asleep? Try the body scan meditation lying down.
Try it
Follow a guided version with a soft bell: open Practice and choose Sleep. For the hour before bed, see 7 evening rituals for peaceful sleep.
Questions people ask
Is there a Buddhist meditation for sleep?
Yes. The early texts don't give a single 'sleep meditation', but they connect good sleep to loving-kindness: the first benefit of love the Buddha lists in AN 11.15 is 'You sleep at ease.' A simple practice is to lie on your right side, slow the breath, wish yourself and others well, and let the day go.
Which side did the Buddha sleep on?
The right side. In AN 4.246 the Buddha describes the 'lion's posture': lying on the right side with one foot on top of the other. It is the posture monks traditionally use.
Can meditation cure insomnia?
No. A calming practice can help you wind down, but it is not a treatment. If you have ongoing trouble sleeping, please talk to a doctor.