Each lecture contains a short teaching about sleep, and when you go to bed at night, you can listen to the good-night-practice, that lets you go to sleep with ease. Enjoy this simple meditation and sound bath:

The sleep practices contain nature sounds, that have a calming effect plus Delta- & Theta waves, that support you to sleep with ease.

Each Relaxation exercise is 30 min long, and you listen to it when you're going to bed at night.

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Many people tend to think about the consequences if they can’t sleep. This turns into a self fulfilling prophecy.

It is a core medical assumption that sleep problems can also result from people trying too hard to control their sleep; but sleep is uncontrollable or hardly controllable consciously, because sleep is an unconscious behavior and is not subject to voluntary control. Attempts to take control are usually not only doomed to failure, but often themselves become symptoms associated with distress. Too much control and effort helps maintain insomnia.

So if there's one takeaway from this lesson:

Mindfulness exercises serve to break rumination loops.

Therefore, while lying awake, observe your breath, just listen to your breath and let the negative thoughts go.

Tell yourself: "I don't want to think about this anymore".

If you find yourself ruminating during the night about the effects of fatigue and exhaustion, breathing exercises can help bring your attention to the current actual experience and break the endless cycle of unhelpful thoughts.

Yoga Nidra is among the deepest possible states of relaxation. The regular practice has been found to reduce tension and anxiety.

Today we are going to do an exercise from Yoga Nidra.

This relaxation exercise is 30 min long, and you listen to it when you're going to bed at night.

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Misconceptions about sleep are widespread.

Missing and wrong knowledge leads us to insecurity, which can increase to a feeling of loss of control and being at the mercy of others.

Therefore, we gain security through knowledge and can take effective measures for ourselves.

This knowledge transfer on the topic of sleep and sleep disorders forms an important first component of the so-called S3 guideline for sleep disorders.

The times when physical and mental activity were limited by the rhythm of day and night and sufficient periods of rest were available are long gone. Today everyday life is characterized by a massive overstimulation. The electric light makes it possible to be active around the clock. Media usage takes a lot of attention. This overstimulation and the increasing pressure to perform, demand more and more of us, which can lead to an overload of our self-regulatory mechanisms.

Transformational Takeaways:

• If your body sends you to the refrigerator in the evening to look for sweets, this is a sign that it is tired. Instead of eating candy and returning to the couch, go to bed.

• You sleep better in very dark rooms without artificial light

  You sleep better cool, so you should better sleep naked and with rather thin blankets. The body has to shut down and cool down at night.

• Fill up with brightness during the day. It would be best to spend half an hour outside in the morning before 10 a.m. Even when the sun isn't shining, you fill up with light through your eyes and skin.

  Walk outside for half an hour during your lunch break. Both the movement and the brightness are magical

This bedtime is a pure joyful relaxation exercise for you to go to sleep with ease. Enjoy!

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

One of the sleep myths is that sleep before midnight is the best. This is wrong.

It doesn't matter when we go to sleep, we always fall into deep sleep phases first, which are the most important sleep phases.

In former times cultures, the archetypes of the early riser and the late hunter have complemented each other.

This disposition is largely genetically anchored and solidifies around the age of 20, when the development of our brain is complete.

Transformational takeaway: Find out what sleep type, morning lark or night owl, you are and try to adjust your life to your sleep type, if possible.

During the night, cleaning and tidying processes are carried out in the body and brain, which are necessary to maintain our physical and mental life energy. While blood supplies the body with oxygen and nutrients, the lymphatic system cleans up the body. We have 4 times more lymph fluid in the body than blood. It is our body's sewage system and helps to drain waste in the body.

Gentle reminder: this cleansing is more effective if you sleep relatively cool. Find a good balance, but try to avoid higher temperatures or thick blankets that make you sweat.

Today we will actively support the inner cleansing process and allow pure white light to flow through our whole body.

We will breathe the light deeply in and out again.

We accompany the breathing exercise with a mantra while breathing out.

The murmur of mantras makes our body vibrate like music and waves. Our mantra is letting go and moaning: Ahhhh

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

False reports have spread that list the same symptoms for both sleeping too short and sleeping too long. Long sleepers and short sleepers are said to get sick more often, develop depression, heart disease and diabetes.

The assumption that getting as much sleep as possible will do you good and keep you healthy longer is wrong, as is the assumption that too little sleep makes you sick.

The University of Cologne describes the bedtime story or fantasy journey method in its method pool as follows:

Fantasy journeys are controlled daydreams in which both adults and children learn to associate and develop ideas in their imaginations, sometimes also around solving problems and achieving goals. They are designed to help reduce stress, restore inner balance and encourage imagination and creativity.

The story I am telling today is supported by nature sounds, that I recorded during an excursion in the Himalayas, Nepal.

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Our sleep cycle - or circadian rhythm - is influenced by the amount of sunlight we are exposed to during the day.

This rhythm determines the sequence of functions our bodies perform - for digestion, the immune system, blood pressure, fat burning, appetite, physical and mental energy, and more.

Many of us are unaware that we suffer from a lack of light and its effects. Because of our eyes' extraordinary ability to adapt to brightness, we hardly notice how little light we get indoors in the first place. Typical indoor lighting is hundreds of times less bright than outdoor light on a sunny day. Even on a cloudy day, we still get ten times more light than indoors.

Transformational takeaways:

• Get out into the fresh air for 1 hour a day. Try not to set the hurdle too high. It doesn't have to be jogging, it can also be a brisk walk.

• Daily moments outdoors, including lingering on a park bench to enjoy the moment, helps us feel the pulse of nature, the weather and the seasons.

Today we will meditate on the element of fire as we go to sleep.

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Transformational takeaway:

When the bedroom becomes a wellness oasis, it presents optimal conditions for relaxed well-being and good sleep.

In order to keep the body in a balance between tension and relaxation, it is necessary to practice relaxation actively and regularly. We haven’t not sufficiently developed the necessary feeling for our muscle senses or we have forgotten to perceive them. As a result, we have lost our natural ability to relax to a certain extent. Often we are no longer aware of the extent of our own stressful situation.

This is where the progressive muscle relaxation process comes in. It teaches you to consciously perceive states of tension and relaxation through regular practice in everyday life. It is astonishing if you realize how great the general basic tension is in your everyday life.

Mental and muscular tension are interrelated. Stress symptoms such as nervousness and fear always occur together with the tension in the muscles. The process of progressive muscle relaxation levers right there. It aims to loosen the muscles through targeted exercises. As soon as the muscles relax, the psyche also relaxes at the same time. This process takes place automatically in every person to a certain extent as soon as they are in a state of rest. Therefore, this automatism is used in progressive muscle relaxation.

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Mindfulness and mindfulness exercises have a long tradition in Buddhism. Mindfulness exercises are not relaxation techniques, although many people may experience relaxation during practice. The primary aim of mindfulness practice is not to relax physically or psychologically.

Essentially, mindfulness is about being attentive in the moment and accepting all experiences as they are. This can be particularly helpful for people who suffer from insomnia - first and foremost, focusing attention on the present means that the mind is not constantly in a state of problem-solving, analysing mistakes or thinking through solutions to future problems. If the attention can be kept in the present moment, it cannot be ruminating or planning for the future at the same time, which is helpful for most people with insomnia.

In particular, the aspect of accepting and embracing all present experiences is useful, for example, to reduce the pressure of 'having to go back to sleep'. Mindfulness exercises are based on the fact that attention is mostly focused on a specific anchor point.

This is usually the steady flow of the breath, which is observed attentively.

Thoughts are not suppressed in mindfulness exercises - they should be registered attentively and contemplated for a moment before returning to the breath and the here-and-now. Then you can "let the thought go again" without holding on to it or even getting caught up in it.

What can be achieved through mindfulness practice with regard to sleep is this: Insomnia can be so persistent that just thinking about the bedroom or the night can put you in a bad mood, fearing that you won't be able to sleep again and ruminating on problems and thoughts.

We can put the negative thoughts into perspective by objectifying them. The negative thoughts disappear for a few moments from the focus, which is directed towards staying in the moment. Positive aspects of being are thus highlighted and perceived more important.

The sleep knowledge contains three building blocks:

1. Hygiene factors and rules:

• No caffeinated drinks after lunch.

• Avoid alcohol as much as possible, especially late at night

• No heavy meals in the evening

• Regular physical activity

• Get plenty of light during the day and avoid artificial light in the evening

2. Reduce mental and physical exertion before going to bed

• Create a pleasant atmosphere in the bedroom and introduce a personal sleep ritual.

• Practice Mindfulness and relaxation exercises

• Practice physical relaxation exercises

• Practice Mental relaxation with phantasy journeys and Interrupt negative thought cycles

3. stimulus control

The main focus here is to only sleep in the bed and not to work or watch TV, and rather to limit sleep to a minimum amount of time.

Problems should only be dealt with outside the bed. It is advised to get up for problem solving.

The aim is to build up sufficient sleep pressure and to sleep as compactly and regularly as possible during the night. You should neither sleep in on weekends nor take naps during the day.

This bedtime is a body relaxation exercise for you to go to sleep with ease. Enjoy!

This exercise is available for you as a video or mp3 download.

Research suggests that meditation can help improve insomnia and sleep quality for those without sleep problems.

In the long term, these improvements are comparable to the effects seen from sleep medication.

Five Key Benefits That Meditation Has For Business and Personal Performance:

Meditation has many key benefits that can help high-performing individuals. Athletes who incorporate meditation into their workout routine can be better prepared for competition and have a mental edge over their opponents. While it’s important to train the body, it’s also important to train the mind. And obviously, this is not just true for athletes, but for business professionals too.

1. Enhanced Focus

Meditation allows us to focus on the present moment. There are a lot of distractions for an athlete as they perform; the noise of the crowd, the competitors beside them, or even past mistakes. These distractions have negative impacts on their performance. The practice of meditation teaches athletes to strengthen their focus on the present task at hand and drop all distractions, especially negative thoughts that may interfere with their success. Staying focused on the game or race is an essential component for an athlete to succeed.

And this holds true for everyone else, who's struggling and fighting his or her way through the corporate world. You need a clear head and focus to succeed.

2. Meditation helps to cope with Pain

With the intense training that athletes undergo regularly, it’s not unusual for them to be in pain or discomfort. Meditation has been proven to reduce a person’s sensitivity to pain sharply. Studies show that meditation can help athletes cope with pain, which can help them push through tough moments when it hurts the most.

And if you're bound to an office job, that comes with different challenges. Aching back and shoulders, a repetitive strain injury and headaches from the computer work.

Meditation helps you to become more aware and by giving loving attention to your hurting parts, you will be able to release some of the pain.

3. Boosts the Immune System:

Meditation helps to boost the immune system and lower the chance and severity of illness, allowing athletes to continue to train for success and makes us all more resilient, mentally and physically.

4. Reduce Stress

Whether it be from training or competition, athletes, students and managers are always under stress. While some stress can be good, too much can hinder performance. Therefore, we need to find ways to manage and reduce stress. Meditation is a good way to do it because it increases positive effects and decreases negative effects, such as anxiety.

People who adopt mindful meditation can reduce their stress and be more prepared to perform well when times demand our full attention.

5. Improves Sleep Patterns

High-performing individuals that don’t get enough sleep can experience negative effects such as the inability to maintain focus, mood disturbances, increased anxiety or depression and decreased motor control.

By incorporating meditation into the workout routine, athletes can sleep better, so can mothers and managers.

This is because meditation techniques evoke the relaxation response, a deep physiological shift in the body that’s the opposite of a stress response. This relaxation response can help eliminate stress, which is usually the cause of sleep trouble.

The outer attitude and posture are of great importance for meditation. This is true for life in general, even if you are not meditating. Your attitude and posture should always reflect an inner presence.

The outer attitude while meditating can bring about an inner change. You have the impression that the purpose of the exercise is actually already achieved when you have taken up the position of awake presence. Your goal is achieved immediately by simply sitting in good posture.

You can sit on a low chair or cushion and cross your legs. You experience this as grounding or earthing and your posture has a foundation.

If possible, your thighs should slope slightly towards your knees.

In this posture, you will find stability, your back and neck will not be strained too much, and it will be easier for you to maintain an upright posture. It is best if your arms can hang loosely down from your shoulder joints.

You sit as if your head is attached to a thread hanging from the ceiling, which applies a slight pull when your body wants to deviate from its upright position or sink in.

Your lower back should be slightly curved inwards so that your bottom gives you a really stable base.

Your posture should have something of the stance and charisma in which you would propose marriage - calm and relaxed, friendly, engaging, with a touch of formality.

Your whole posture radiates dignity. Posture is extremely important.

If your haveing thoughts, you don’t need to pull your attention right back to the breath. Instead, let go of whatever it was you were thinking about, reopen your attention, then gently return your awareness to the breath, being present for each inhalation and exhalation.

The Shamatha Meditation that we're learning here has several elements:

1. As we're settling into our sitting position, we're just calming down a bit, feeling ourselves and giving ourselves some loving attention, reminding us to feel humble yet proud, graceful and grounded, meaning connected to the world.

2. In the next step we're releasing tension, that could disturb the meditation practice. We're scanning our body, becoming aware of any physical pain and releasing that.

   After giving our pains that we feel in our body attention, we focus on the emotional issues that we may have.

   Physical pain and emotional pain go hand in hand. Emotions are at the interception between our mind and our body. They are thoughts that become physical. Sadness makes us cry, fear makes us shiver and stress increases the blood pressure.

   So in this stage we try to become aware, where our negative emotions sit in our body.

   We breath into them and release them with the outbreath.

3. As a next step, we focus on the outflowing breath. This is a concentration exercise that will help you to easily focus on the current moment. The concentration on the outflowing breath will sharpen your mind and bring clarity of thinking to your life. If you're exercising on your own, this would be the main phase that you practice for a longer time, maybe 15 minutes or more.

4. As we're finishing the exercise, we accumulate joy. This is a breathing exercise that Buddha himself tought and it's very easy, yes so powerful: We breath in and feel joy and we breath out and feel joy.

Meditation is both training and taming. We don't immediately come to peace or sort out our problems in one swift strike. It is more like taming a wild horse or ploughing up hard, rocky ground.

In our case, this taming requires that body and mind be brought into harmony. First it is easier to work with the body - if we sit with our legs crossed on the floor or with our back straight on a chair. Once the body has settled into this posture, we have to convince our mind to play along. Our mind is of a restless and a moody nature. This makes it unsteady and jump from one thought to another.

So it is best to give it a toy, and the best toy is something that is similar to it. Something familiar. It's like giving a child a doll or a teddy bear. Small, cuddly and a bit like the child itself. The toy is not too big and not too small, you can take it to bed with you, pull it around and play with it. It is like a mirror image of yourself.

In meditation, the breath is your cuddly bear. The breath has something as unsteady as your mind. By nature it has to be a little restless. When you have inhaled, you have to exhale, and when you have exhaled, you have to inhale again. Your mind also has this restlessness, it is constantly looking for alternatives and thinking of something. The breath is of a very similar quality.

So your mind is given the breath as a toy.

The Shamatha Meditation can best be described as a Mindfulness Exercise, which is also a method of sharpening the mind. Often the sheer pace and demands of our lives have a numbing effect.

Our mental sharpness diminishes, our perception becomes foggy and unclear. Too much is expected of our mental faculties, they are overstrained. This back and forth between so many thoughts wears us out.

In meditation we follow our breath, and this becomes so boring that the mind can regain its sharpness and we see and experience things much more intensely. In meditation, nothing happens but your breath and your body and a sort of wafting of thoughts.

Interestingly, if our mind finds non-entertainment in the outside, it increases in sharpness. Think of a child who has only one toy, just this one teddy bear. It will soon know it inside out from top to bottom. It will explore and memorise every detail, every inch of this toy. If you give the child boxes and boxes of toys, it will soon no longer be really interested in any of them. It will then become grumpy and demanding and have temper fits. It is better to have one thing at a time.

As soon as we get involved in the out-breath and have nothing else to entertain ourselves with, the mind-body connection can become very real.

The mind regains its precision and sharpness.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focussing on’s awareness on the present moment, while accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

The emotional benefits of meditation can include:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations

• Building skills to manage your stress

• Increasing self-awareness

• Focusing on the present

• Reducing negative emotions

• Increasing imagination and creativity

• Increasing patience and tolerance

There are three little tricks you can use to capture a moment and store it in your brain.

Trick No. 1 is to involve your body.

I sit down comfortably, take in the air and the surroundings, move my fingers and toes.

I consciously perceive my body for a moment, enjoy the temperature, the sounds, the smells.

Take a few seconds and perceive yourself in the world.

Trick No. 2 is positive self-intent, which is also used in yoga.

I strengthen myself with a short, positive guiding principle. Something like ...

Is this a nice moment or

I'm really doing fine or

I'm feeling great

Trick no. 3 is: take a moment to look inside.

I will explain to you how this “looking inside” works best.

When your eyes are closed, it is easiest to follow your breath.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique should be used over a longer period of time, 1-2 times a day.

The 4-7-8 breathing is a deep, rhythmic breathing technique that is considered a natural sedative for the nervous system and has a relaxing effect on the body.

The method owes its name to the breathing rhythm: inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. This method relieves stress, anxiety, helps regulate blood pressure and helps you fall asleep.

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, exhaling slowly and deeply each time.

During the first breaths, as you inhale, imagine the breath finding any physical tension in the body and release that tension as you exhale.

During the second series of breaths, breathe into any emotional tensions, feel them where they are in the body and release them on the exhale. Lastly, breathe into the mental tensions, feel where in the body nervousness, worry or mental blocks have settled and release them on the exhale.

Quick muscle relaxation

• Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Slowly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, with a sigh if you want

• Make fists, squeezing your hands tightly.

• Hold this for a few seconds, noticing the tension.

• Slowly open your fingers and feel the difference – notice the tension leaving.

Count down slowly from 10 to 0. With each number, take one complete breath, inhaling and exhaling. For example, breathe in deeply, saying "10" to yourself.

Breathe out slowly. On your next breath, say "nine", and so on.

Counting backwards takes just enough attention to leave some attention on your breath, but not much room for any other thoughts.