Can meditation before bed help me switch off?

Meditation can be a helpful way to end the day because it interrupts the habit of carrying every unfinished conversation, plan and worry into bed. The practice is not to force the mind to switch off. It is to stop feeding every thought with more thought.

Sit or lie comfortably and bring attention to the natural breath or the sensations of the body. When a thought appears, recognise it and return. A Yoga Nidra practice can also be useful because it systematically guides awareness through the body while physical effort is reduced.

If insomnia is persistent, meditation should be seen as supportive rather than a substitute for appropriate treatment. But as a nightly yogic ritual, it can teach something profound: we do not have to solve the whole of tomorrow before we allow ourselves to rest.