​Many people just don’t like meditating in a sitting posture, as they prefer a horizontal position instead.

Some practitioners also want to meditate or practice mindfulness in every possible situation and bodily posture, from sitting to lying in bed, to walking, to exercising, and even to sleeping. Here you will find some ideas, backed with great feedback of numerous practitioners, that might be helpful to all of you wanting to meditate even while lying down.

But first, why should we do the meditation in a horizontal position in the first place?

Benefits of Meditation Lying Down

There are so many benefits. As all other types of meditation and mindfulness, this kind of practice will bring you:

• Deep calmness and freshness during the day;
• Reduced stress and anxiety;
• Increased energy and focus;
• Reduced blood pressure;
• Improved quality of sleep;
• Increased overall productivity;
• Improved overall health.

These are not claims, these are the facts. They have been confirmed by countless scientific researches and explorations, and you can check it out on the Internet and numerous scientific magazines.

Lying Down Meditation as Preparation for Sleep

​One of the most reliable methods that can lead you to a conscious and deeply relaxing, rejuvenating sleep is Yoga Nidra. It is an ancient practice which can bring you exquisite results.

Nidra, which means “yogic sleep,” is a meditation that deals with deep sleep consciousness. During this meditation, through which you are typically guided by an instructor, you are scanning your body and entering a very deep state of relaxation. During this process, your body will slip into a deep sleep, and yet your mind will remain fully aware.

How to Meditate in Horizontal Position

First, if you are tired, do not close your eyes, as you will dive into sleep soon. If you feel fresh and energized, and still don’t want to, for example, do a walking meditation outdoors, then you may close your eyes.

​It is advisable that your lying posture is similar to the ‘savasana’ pose in yoga, which basically involves lying down flat on the back with your palms facing upward.

​Going through addiction treatment may be the hardest thing that you have ever done, but it will all be for nothing if you can’t get back into normal life afterwards. Many people find it difficult to make the transition, and this can lead to relapses as well as other problems. Here are some tips to help you make that transition smoothly, and to take control of your life again.
 
Start during treatment
The first stage begins while you are still undergoing your treatment. Think about how you are going to cope with life on the outside without your addiction. Learn to recognise the signs of an imminent relapse, and how to control yourself at those times. Think about your triggers and figure out how to avoid them – and what you will do when confronted with them. Try talking to your friends and family about the support that you will need on the other side.

​Take it slow
Don’t expect things to be easy right from the start. A transition is a gradual process, and you can’t rush it. The pace of life may be different from what you are used to, and you may find yourself with free time now that you no longer have your addiction to swallow it up. Don’t expect to be able to go home, see the same faces and go to the same places where your addiction ruled, and be able to resist right away. Start with the safest environments and work from there.
 
Make amends
One thing that you may wish to do is to make amends for the things you did while you were addicted. It might be that a simply apology is enough. It might be that you need to work, pay, or make up for things in some other way to make everyone happy. The important thing is that you close the book on that chapter of your life by making amends for everything in it. If you are still feeling guilt over things you have done, reintegration therapy and meditation will really help to let go of that guilt and start over. If you let the guilt remain, it will only damage your future.
 
Replace your addictive habits
In order to get back to normal life, you might actually have to create a new normal. The people and things you did before might not be suited to a recovering addict, and so this means starting again. Find new friends who are not addicted, and who will lead you in a healthy direction. Take up exercise or a new hobby which can fill your time. You could even take up charity work if you wanted to pay back to society. Make sure that you eat and sleep well so that both your body and your mind are healthy and well rested. If faith helped to get you through your treatment, then now is a good time to recommit to your faith, perhaps by taking part in faith groups.

​Make new goals
Part of normal life is moving forwards. Make some new goals for yourself, either to do with your fitness, your career, your hobby, or so forth. These goals will give you something to work towards, and when you feel that relapse is near, it may help to focus on these and how much you would be throwing away if you gave up now.
 
Getting back to normal certainly isn’t easy after addiction treatment, but it is far from impossible. With a support network, a positive outlook, and plans for moving forward, you can do it.