Kristen U.
I think you should keep using the online meditation if it's helping you sleep. Follow the spirit of the law, not the letter! If the point is to give you better sleep which leads to a more rested mind and productive day, then you're better served to use the online tools. Sometimes I do that as well… I just make sure my phone is set to "do not disturb" and silence all notifications then only use the meditation tool and nothing else. This app has great ideas but you can and should adapt it to your own specific needs, and sleep is one of those needs! 🙂
Esther G.
I have a similar issue, having a guided meditation helps me fall asleep. I don't think you have stop using it as long as it doesn't cause you to use phone for other purposes.
Suzanne F.
I would say no, because this is helping you sleep, which is the most important thing. However, in order to follow the disconnection from all devices, is there any way you could download the guided meditation so you don't actually use the internet? That way, it's still technically like you are disconnecting.
Albina O.
I think if the sleep guided meditation helps one to sleep than it's well worth the exception of keeping it on although the goal is to turn off all electronics. My mind doesn't turn off just yet with complete silence so I need to hear something in order to doze off.
Balbino E.
If you have been using online meditation to help you sleep for a while I belive that you know exactly what to do, you can guide your self to sleep, with your unconscious remembrance of what you have heard before, I believe the best you can do, is to jump in to it, believe that you can guide your self to medital sleep. Also meditate during the day, this will help your neurons connect in a way that will make you able to fall into a meditative state faster, thus fall asleep faster at night ❤️
L Andre T.
Have tried both ways. With and without online meditation. Online meditation/ relaxation helps. Am thinking I don’t need a reminder to unplug and will now take off list.
Woldemar Z.
First of all there are some apps which give the opportunity to meditate offline. Than you can disconnect and have meditation in your device's memory.
Karola O.
I think the intent behind disconnecting from our devices is to not get pulled in to some visual or mental activity that keeps us up, and also not to take in blue light, which can also keep us up. Your meditation does neither of these things, so keep doing it. Just don’t look at your phone while doing it and put your phone away right afterward.
Volkhard U.
If the app DOES help you, I don't think there's any reason to quit. But if you're looking for a way to not use the app (for what ever reason), I think that there's many factors contributing to it as well. Caffeine use to be my problem, if I have coffee after 6pm I couldn't sleep until almost 2am. What you do before bed is also important. Stressful activities or things that require a lot of your mental energy could also stick in your mind at night. Try to avoid those things. And the last thing I could think of is your sleep cycle. What time do you wake up? Try to get up early if you don't get enough sleep, do so anyway. You're going to be so tired the next day make it easier to fall asleep and try to stick with getting up early. Exercise during the day and meditation before bed is helpful for me too. I hope this helps!
Sophie S.
There is a lot to consider. 1st, what is the underlying cause of your lack of sleep? It needs to be addressed as it affects your health in a detrimental way. For me, it made sense to utilize a program that can lull me cozily off to sleepland and was approved and even used by my physician. But, I also use this one not only during the day but also at night if I’m still awake after trying one of my other apps or programs. The best thing I do though is meditate and do Yoga with my German Shepherd.
Klaas F.
Keep using it as long as it helps. As far as your devices are concerned, it depends on how you can set it up so that you can access the meditation and nothing else. I use app blockers and make sure that only the sites/apps I need is whitelisted on my devices. If what you like is a youtube video, see if the creator published it on a different platform (ie a music app), use a less distracting software like VLC media player to access it.
Dwayne U.
The reason that you should disconnect from screens is that the light wakes you up and if you are watching or playing on a device, you might have a tendency to not want to sleep in favor of playing more with the device. This is my biggest sleep problem. I am very guilty of this. If you get a meditation that does not involve looking at a screen, you should be fine.
Rachel E.
I disable/decide not to use my internet when it's time to unplug but I have a 20 minute guided meditation I listen to that I have already downloaded (Smiling Minds). I play the recording and lock my phone.
Angie F.
I use Headspace for meditation but rather than listen to a guided meditation I have memorised a very simple version. Start by getting comfortable then take a breath in for four counts, hold it for four then breathe out for 6. Do this four or five times. Then breathe normally. Focus on your breath. Where can you feel it most in your body? Start to count the breaths – 1=in, 2=out – until you reach 10. Then start again. If your mind wanders just gently note whether it was a thought or feeling and come back to counting your breaths. This will happen several times but you'll notice it decreases as you go on and eventually you'll fall asleep. You can also include a visualisation – work up the body from the toes imagining the muscles you don't need shutting down for the night. Go all the way to the top of your head. It keeps your mind focussed away from the brain chatter that keeps you awake and you'll find the muscles actually feel relaxed. This all works for me but if it doesn't work first time keep trying it. It will work! 😊
Justin I.
Hi there.
Have you considered having a regular mediation session before going to bed.
Instead of doing it while being in bed you would meditate into your favourite place at home for about 30min or 1hour. This would help you to put your mind at ease and prepare yourself before going to bed. To this I would also add a very gentle stretch session.
I understand the use of the guided meditation, but as mentioned about it's is also important to stay unplugged. Also after some time of practice you should probably be able to follow the steps of the meditation whiteout listening to it, have you consider this option?
If none of the above works for you then do what's the best for you, sleeping is important. You could also set your phone one "don't disturb mode" you can program it to activate around 30min or 1h after you have started the guide meditation. That would set it offline while you are asleep.
Andy O.
Not necessarily. It really depends on the individual. As long as it’s dark in your room, it shouldn’t have a negative affect on you getting to sleep. If online guided meditation works best, I would continue using it.
Kaitlin T.
No because you are not playing with a device you are setting it up with a tool to help you disconnect and sleep. There is No reason tostop when it serves it's purpose.
Benjamin O.
When I decided to choose disconnect from devices and unplug I felt that it would be very simple to follow through with. On the first night I noticed that I couldn’t be entirely true to it since I use the fabulous app to check off my habits for the night. I also tend to turn on more alarms on my phone even after I try to disconnect. So what I’ve learned so far is that if you are using your phone to fulfill a habit then it should be fine. Ideally learning how to do some habits without the assistance of a phone would be better. It may take a bit for you to learn how to do meditations without a guide but eventually you may learn what’s best for you and understand which meditation works and how to do it on your own. If you’re still new to this don’t feel bad, you’re only learning!
Ron O.
Personally I change the brightness on my screen and move from blue to yellow so it doesn’t effect sleep then do my online meditation! Disconnect is more from email and social media in my opinion.
Christian O.
No. The purpose of the habit is to try and reduce mindless screen time and to become aware of the world around us. The assumption is that using devices is not necessary and they're only used for menial tasks which is a bit out of place for the world we live in. For example I use mine for homework, other work, meditation, exercise videos, recipes for meals and for reading. Just try and only put it on when you need it and if you can turn the screen off and listen to the audio.
