--- title: "Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety and Better Sleep — Sleep Science Academy" description: "Learn how mindfulness meditation for anxiety may help calm racing thoughts, reduce stress, improve emotional control, and support more restful sleep." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Sleep Science Academy", "url": "https://sleepscienceacademy.com", "logo": "https://sleepscienceacademy.com/logo.png", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/SleepScienceAcademy/", "https://www.instagram.com/sleepscienceacademy/", "https://youtube.com/@sleepScienceAcademy", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleep-science-academy" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Sleep Science Academy", "url": "https://sleepscienceacademy.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety Relief", "description": "Learn how mindfulness meditation for anxiety may help calm racing thoughts, reduce stress, improve emotional control, and support more restful sleep.", "image": "https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/og/5aa2ce7e-8a02-42b6-aa90-e3e02afb17ff.jpg", "datePublished": "2026-06-03T20:54:00.968+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-07-30T16:56:48.218329+00:00", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Devin Burke" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Sleep Science Academy", "url": "https://sleepscienceacademy.com" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sleepscienceacademy.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Sleep Anxiety & Racing Mind" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety Relief" } ] } ] --- [![Sleep Science Academy](/logo.png)](/) [How it works](/how-it-works)[Client results](/client-results)[Reviews](/sleep-science-academy-reviews)[About](/about) Resources [Start assessment](/quiz) 1. [Home](/) 2. Sleep Anxiety & Racing Mind 3. The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety Relief ![Man lying awake in bed at night with an alarm clock nearby, suggesting insomnia or trouble sleeping.](https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/featured/c4ebe4b2-93a1-4d2d-b988-8844d3052509.jpg) # The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety Relief [![Devin Burke](https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/authors/ff3a842a-ab6a-4ef8-b993-a5fc28142457.jpg)](/author/devin-burke/)Written by [Devin Burke](/author/devin-burke/) — Updated on June 3, 2026 6 min read Mindfulness Meditation Anxiety Relief Stress Management Sleep and Anxiety Insomnia Support **TL;DR —** Mindfulness meditation can help people with anxiety become more aware of their thoughts without reacting to them or trying to suppress them. By focusing on breathing, staying present, and gently redirecting attention, this practice may reduce stress, support emotional regulation, and improve sleep. While it is not a replacement for professional care, mindfulness can be a useful daily tool for calming racing thoughts and building healthier coping habits. Everyone has experienced anxiety at some point in their lives. It’s an emotion that can be experienced in the mind as well as the rest of the body. It’s often accompanied by things like intrusive thoughts and high blood pressure and can negatively affect your everyday life. Anxiety is often caused by stress, but it can go much deeper than that. People can have an anxiety disorder, which is a more persistent and serious kind of anxiety that doesn’t just disappear when a stressful situation is over. ## **Anxiety Disorders** There are different types of [anxiety disorders](https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders#:~:text=There%20are%20several%20types%20of,disorder%20and%20separation%20anxiety%20disorder) that people can struggle with, but the most common is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This disorder is characterized by frequent anxiety experienced over a long period of time, usually years. People diagnosed with GAD may experience things like restlessness, increased fatigue, irritability, difficulty controlling thoughts or concentrating, body aches and headaches, and difficulty sleeping. Their symptoms often negatively impact their daily life. Another type of anxiety disorder is Panic Disorder. This disorder is similar to GAD in that it is persistent and not something that goes away easily like common stress. However, it differs in that the anxiety often comes in waves in the form of panic attacks. These attacks are characterized by sudden moments of extreme anxiety or fear, often coupled with the feeling of losing control of their body, mind, and external surroundings. Physical symptoms of a panic attack are increased heart rate, shaking, sweating, feelings of paralysis, pain in the chest, dizziness, and nausea. In the periods between panic attacks, people with panic disorder spend a great amount of time worrying about when they’ll have their next attack, meaning that their lives are greatly affected regardless of whether they’re experiencing an attack. ## **What is Mindful Meditation?** Mindful meditation is a combination of two practices for mental training. The first practice is mindfulness, which is a type of thinking that concentrates on paying attention to the present and how it makes you feel and think, then learning to accept those feelings and thoughts instead of trying to alter or judge them. The second is meditation, which is a technique used to train the mind to remain calm and concentrate on positive thoughts and good emotions. When combined, mindful meditation can help people learn to master their thoughts and be able to focus on the present to remain positive and calm. ### **How Can Mindful Meditation Help Relieve Anxiety?** Every anxiety disorder has a common theme of mental symptoms like negative thoughts and feelings of fear. Individuals struggling with anxiety have difficulty controlling their thoughts and keeping their minds calm and positive. Since mindful meditation is meant to help conquer this exact issue, it makes perfect sense that many people with anxiety are starting to turn to this technique to find relief, especially when traditional treatments like psychotherapy and medication aren’t working. A bonus is that mindful meditation can improve sleep and help battle insomnia and other sleep disorders. Many people with anxiety find themselves struggling to sleep, either because of a sleep disorder that stems from their anxiety disorder or because they’re kept awake by racing or negative thoughts. This turns into a vicious cycle because exhaustion can fuel anxiety, just making things worse. Mindful meditation can help alleviate these sleep issues, giving someone with anxiety some much-needed rest. ## **The Proof** With mindfulness and meditation growing in popularity, scientists have taken an interest in researching techniques and their effects on people. Multiple studies have shown that these techniques cause a decrease in stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts. At the same time, they’ve been proven to increase the ability to control thoughts and emotions while also improving sleep. One of the first [studies](https://hms.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/assets/OCER/files/Harvard%20Now%20and%20Zen%20Reading%20Materials.pdf) of mindful meditation and anxiety was conducted by Sara Lazar at Harvard Medical School. As a neuroscientist and assistant professor of psychology, Lazar was able to show that mindful meditation physically affects certain areas of the brain that help with controlling thoughts and emotions. Despite how recently this study was conducted, scientists have been studying the positive effects of meditation on the mind and body since 1975. There are decades of proof that these techniques can positively impact an anxious mind and improve that person’s quality of life. Free Step 1 of 5 Which describes your sleep struggle best? Trouble falling asleep Waking through the night Sleep anxiety Free Sleep Assessment ### Discover what's _really_ keeping you stuck. A short, science-backed assessment that pinpoints the patterns sustaining your sleep struggles — and the right next step. - Personalized result in under 3 minutes - Built on behavioral sleep science - No commitment, no credit card [Take the assessment →](/sleep-assessment)Takes ~3 minutes ## **How to Start** Before you begin, it’s important to understand that mindful meditation is meant to help you become more aware of your body and mind. Unlike other types of meditation, there is no need for any fancy candles or repeating mantras. All you need is yourself and a few minutes to spare without distraction. Once they have the hang of it, some people like to squeeze their mindful meditation in during everyday activities, practicing in the shower or while waiting for dinner to cook. However, Beginners should give the meditation their full attention. If you’re a beginner, you should find a quiet and secluded area where you can sit comfortably and just be with yourself for a few minutes. After you’ve gotten comfortable, set a timer. This will help you focus during meditation instead of worrying you’re going to be late for something or taking breaks to look at the clock. The suggested amount of time for beginners is 5 minutes. Begin by focusing on the way you’re breathing. Do it deeply and slowly, letting yourself feel the way your body reacts to each breath. Pay attention to this for as long as you can. When your mind begins to wander, which it inevitably will, don’t fight it. Instead, acknowledge your thoughts while remaining calm and breathing deeply. Once you have given your attention to thought, guide your attention back to your body and breathing. Do this as many times as necessary without letting yourself get upset for having a drifting mind. This is very important, as mindful meditation is not about controlling your thoughts, but about remaining calm and accepting them as they come. ## **Are Your Thoughts and Anxiety Affecting Your Sleep?** As much as we’d all like to have an easy fix, sometimes a few minutes of mindful meditation isn’t enough to cure the problem. Our experts at [Sleep Science Academy](https://sleepscienceacademy.com/) are ready to offer you support if you find yourself needing it. With a [free consultation](https://sleepscienceacademy.com/ssa2), we can get to the root of your problem and start working on a solution! On this page - [Anxiety Disorders](#anxiety-disorders) - [What is Mindful Meditation?](#what-is-mindful-meditation) - [How Can Mindful Meditation Help Relieve Anxiety?](#how-can-mindful-meditation-help-relieve-anxiety) - [The Proof](#the-proof) - [Discover what's really keeping you stuck.](#discover-whats-really-keeping-you-stuck) - [How to Start](#how-to-start) - [Are Your Thoughts and Anxiety Affecting Your Sleep?](#are-your-thoughts-and-anxiety-affecting-your-sleep) Free Masterclass with Devin Burke ### The strategy that's solving insomnia _with science._ A free 45-minute training on the proven 4-phase protocol that helps adults sleep naturally again — without medication. [Watch the free training →](https://workshop.sleepscienceacademy.com/webinar-registration)Instant access Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Copy link ## Continue reading [ ![Cozy bedroom at night with warm lighting, a comfortable bed, bedside table with herbal tea and glowing lamp, and an open window revealing a starry sky.](https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/featured/694111e9-b2ca-41c9-8316-ad2a463440ec.png) Insomnia Insomnia Support Insomnia Treatment ## What to do when you can't sleep: insomnia treatments for tonight, this week, and long-term June 3, 2026 · 12 min read ](/blog/insomnia-treatment-approaches/insomnia-treatment/)[ ![Woman in bed reaching to turn off an alarm clock in the morning, looking tired after waking up early in a bright bedroom](https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/featured/26503668-19fb-4aa1-9c74-e7647c5dc6f6.jpg) Sleep Maintenance Insomnia Nighttime Awakenings Waking Up at 3 AM ## Waking Up at 3 AM? Here’s What You Need To Know July 1, 2026 · 13 min read ](/blog/trouble-staying-asleep/why-do-i-wake-up-at-3-am/)[ ![Couple sleeping peacefully in bed under white sheets, suggesting healthy sleep, intimacy, and nighttime rest.](https://bvgubcwcnqsamfixzopt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/featured/0a354478-5292-412e-8ec3-805681b882e4.jpg) Benefits of Sleep Healthy Sleep Habits Sleep and Wellness ## Why Sleep is Sexy July 1, 2026 · 8 min read ](/blog/sleep-health/why-sleep-is-sexy/) ![Sleep Science Academy](/logo-white.png) [How it works](/how-it-works)[Client results](/client-results)[About](/about)[Resources](/resources)[Contact](/contact)[Affiliate Partner Program](/partner-program)[Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms-of-service) © 2026 Sleep Science Academy The content of this website and any product or service offered on this website is provided for informational and educational purposes only. 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