What I do is not meditation in the way it is typically understood, like clearing the mind and finding a focal point to center on. What I have always down is reflection (Bible study), I guess I would call it.

I really love to read the Bible. A typical session is 2-3 chapters which would translate to 10-15 minutes. I have always devoted time to this daily.

I read the passage (there are many daily study guides) and each one I reflect if I can of God speaking to me personally. Taking it into my heart. Feeling cherished or as the case may be at rare times, feeling convicted. It has helped my maturity and Christian walk, but now it is also how I write devotions for various subjects.

Would it help you to red a few passages in the Bible at bed time? Some say the Book is so boring it might put you to sleep. Ha Ha! Seriously, it is a great stress buster for me.

My DD is suffering from insomnia since April directly as a side effect of a medication she is on. I don't know if any of these things are doable for you, but here is an email I sent to her.

Natural Remedies for Insomnia

Here are fourteen natural remedies that are used to treat insomnia.

1) Valerian

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a herb that has been long used as a remedy for insomnia. Today, it is an accepted over-the-counter insomnia remedy in Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy.

Exactly how valerian works in the body is still not well understood. Some studies suggest that like conventional sleeping pills, valerian may affect levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA.

Unlike many other sleep medications, valerian is not believed to be addictive or cause grogginess in the morning. But valerian doesn't work for everyone. And although studies in labs have been encouraging, clinical trials are still inconclusive.

Valerian is usually taken between an hour before bedtime. It takes about two to three weeks to work. It shouldn't be used for more than three months at a time. Side effects of valerian may include mild indigestion, headache, palpitations, and dizziness. Although valerian tea and liquid extracts are available, most people don't like the smell of valerian and prefer taking the capsule form.

Valerian shouldn't be taken with many medications, especially those that depress the central nervous system, such as sedatives and antihistamines. Valerian shouldn't be taken with alcohol, before or after surgery, or by people with liver disease. It should not be taken before driving or operating machinery. Consultation with a qualified health practitioner is recommended. For more information about valerian, read the Valerian Fact Sheet.

2) Melatonin

Melatonin is a popular remedy to help people fall asleep when the sleep/wake cycle has been disturbed, such as in shift workers or people who with jet lag.

Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the body. The pineal gland in the brain makes serotonin which is then converted into melatonin at night when exposure to light decreases.

Melatonin is typically taken about 30 minutes before the desired bedtime. Some experts caution that melatonin should not be used by people with depression, schizophrenia, autoimmune diseases, and other serious illness. Pregnant and nursing women should not use melatonin.

The University of Alberta study examined 17 studies with 651 people and found no significant side effects when used for three months or less. The long-term effect of melatonin supplementation is not known. For more information about melatonin, read Boosting Melatonin Naturally.

3) Kava

Kava is an anti-anxiety herb that may be helpful for anxiety-related insomnia. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory to consumers about the potential risk of severe liver injury resulting from the use of dietary supplements containing kava. To date, there have been more than 25 reports of serious adverse effects from kava use in other countries, including four patients who required liver transplants. Learn more: What is kava?

4) Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques are one of the most effective ways to increase sleep time, fall asleep faster, and feel more rested in the morning. They require a minimum of 20 minutes before going to bed. There are many different techniques:

Visualization involves imagining a relaxing scene. You can try it in bed before falling asleep. Involve all your senses. If you're imagining yourself on a tropical island, think of the way the warm breeze feels against your skin. Imagine the sweet scent of the flowers, look at the water and listen the waves--you get the picture. The more vivid the visualization and the more senses you involve, the more effective it will be.

Relaxation Response - A mind/body technique based on the principles of Transcendental Meditation. Learn how to elicit the relaxation response

Mindfulness - A type of meditation that essentially involves focusing on your mind on the present. Learn mindfulness.

Yoga combines deep breathing, meditation, and stretching. A Harvard study found that daily yoga for eight weeks improved total sleep time, the time to fall asleep. If you've never tried yoga before, not to worry. There are many gentle yoga styles to choose from.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a promising natural remedy for sleep. If you've never tried a relaxation technique before, this technique is easy to learn and simple to master.

5) Diet

Cut out caffeine

Caffeine can have a pronounced effect on sleep, causing insomnia and restlessness. In addition to coffee, tea, and soft drinks, look for hidden sources of caffeine such as chocolate, cough and cold medicine, and other over-the-counter medicine.

Avoid sweets

Although sugar can give a burst of energy, it's short-lived and can cause uneven blood sugar levels. This can disrupt sleep in the middle of the night as blood sugar levels fall.

Eat foods that help you sleep

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, which is then converted to melatonin. Carbohydrate snacks such whole grain crackers before bedtime may help to promote sleep. Just be sure to stay away from sweets.

Eat magnesium-rich foods

Magnesium is a natural sedative. Deficiency of magnesium can result in difficulty sleeping, constipation, muscle tremors or cramps, anxiety, irritability, and pain. It has also been use for people with restless leg syndrome.

Foods rich in magnesium are legumes and seeds, dark leafy green vegetables, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast, and whole grains.

6) Aromatherapy

The scent of English lavender has long been used as a folk remedy to help people fall asleep.

Research is starting to confirm lavender's sedative qualities. It's been found to lengthen total sleep time, increase deep sleep, and make people feel refreshed. It appears to work better for women, possibly because women tend to have a more acute sense of smell.

The good thing about lavender is that it begins to work quickly. Try putting a lavender sachet under your pillow or place one to two drops of lavender essential oil in a handkerchief. Or add several drops of lavender oil to a bath -- the drop in body temperature after a warm bath also helps with sleep.

Other aromatherapy oils believed to help with sleep are chamomile and ylang ylang.

How to Make a Relaxing Essential Oil Blend

How to Use Essential Oils Safely

Tips on Buying Essential Oils

Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Alert

7) Light

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you may need more light in the morning.

Light exposure plays a key role in telling the body when to go to sleep and when to wake up.

Try taking a walk first thing in the morning. Just be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.

On the other hand, if you find you're waking up too early in the morning, you may need more light in the afternoon. Try taking a walk in the late afternoon.

8) Music

Gentle, slow music is another remedy that can help to improve sleep without medication.

Music has been found to improve sleep quality, decrease nightly wakenings, lengthen sleep time, and increase satisfaction with sleep.

9) Acupuncture

Acupuncture may help with insomnia. A University of Pittsburgh analysis concluded that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for insomnia. A preliminary study found that five weeks of acupuncture increase melatonin secretion in the evening and improved total sleep time.

Acupuncture Fact Sheet

Find an Acupuncturist

Poll: Does Acupuncture Hurt?

10) Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia often stems from kidney energy weakness. This syndrome is not necessarily related to kidney disease in Western medicine. A few signs of kidney energy weakness are low back ache, tiredness and fatigue, and a burst of energy at about 11 pm in the evening. Women in menopause often experience this type of insomnia. People who are taking anti-estrogenic drugs such as tamoxifen also experience this type of insomnia, however, they should not take herbal combinations such as the herbal formula liu wei di huang that may increase estrogen levels.

Kidney Yin Deficiency

Interpreting Emotions in Traditional Chinese Medicine

11) Ayurvedic Medicine

In Ayurvedic medicine, insomnia is often associated with a vata imbalance. Vata regulates breathing and circulation. People with a vata imbalance often notice irritability, anxiety, and fear with insomnia. One Ayurvedic treatment is the application of oil on the head and feet. For the pitta type, room temperature coconut oil is used, for the vata type, warm sesame oil is applied, and for the kapha type, warm mustard oil is often applied.

What is your Ayurvedic type?

Recommended foods for your Ayurvedic type

12) Exercise

Lack of exercise can contribute to poor sleep. Muscle tension and stress build in the body. Exercise can promote deep sleep that night. However, intense exercise too close to bed can increase adrenaline levels, leading to insomnia.

13) Other Natural Remedies

For hot flashes, a thin, flat foam pillow insert, called a Chillow, can help to cool the head throughout the night.

Chamomile, hops, passionflower, lemon balm, and ashwagandha are other herbs that are often used for insomnia. Some people may find benefit from simply having a cup of chamomile tea one to two hours before going to bed. Chamomile can reduce anxiety, calm the digestive system, and relieve muscle tension.

14) Feng Shui

Feng shui, which originates in the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, instructs on how to arrange rooms, furniture, offices, houses, and other arrangements to maximize favorable energy flow throughout living spaces. Here are some recommendations that may help promote relaxing sleep:

Try not to have the bed in a corner of the room. The corners are where energy tends to be stagnant.

Avoid putting your bed next to a window. Energy can be drained this way.

The bed shouldn't be positioned so that the soles of the feet, when lying face-up in bed, directly face the doorway.

When lying in bed, you should have full view of anyone coming in the door. If you can't do this directly, hang a mirror to reflect the entranceway.

Try to avoid facing sharp corners from desks, bookcases, and other pieces of furniture.

WOW - THAT is a lot of VERY good information!!! Thank you for your input. I have tried reading my Bible at bedtime. But I find that STILL my mind wanders. I can't seem to focus in the evening. It's odd. I'm fine at work, but once I'm home my mind is all over the place. I feel bad about that too, for the sake of my children, and for the sake of my personal relationship with Christ. I'm going to go over the list above again and try some of the things you listed. A few nights at Karate we did spend some time at the end of class doing yoga, and that felt peaceful. I wonder if I can do that at home and STILL feel peaceful? I'll tick down the list and try a few. THANK YOU for your input!

Hello ordinary girl. I don't know if any of those things might help you, but I do know that avoiding a prescription medicine is desirable unless all else fails.

I have to say I think it is wonderful you are taking karate. One on line friend is up to a brown belt now. She says each challenge has boosted her self-esteem. Finding a good hobby or sport is the essential for having our own life. If your classes offer you an opportunity to learn some basics in yoga, and it appears it helped you to relax, I would say to explore it.

Many years ago on a diet board I moderated there was a big stink about whether a Christian should do yoga. The information and opinions were out of the loop because there are specific books/tapes just for Christian Yoga. I know many are still afraid of Eastern influence, but that also would rule out the martial arts along with a great deal of other things, even acupuncture.

Other than new age and obvious cults, I believe we can't live in fear or avoidance of anything that sounds worldly. And when a person needs sleep desperately or at least just to unwind in the evening, I think we better listen to what has worked for others.

I sure hope you find relief and I hope you will keep us updated. It does sound like you do have to invest time into finding something that helps.

There is a Christian practice called, Lectio Divina, which is a way of praying the scriptures. It incorporates meditation into the reading of scripture and is a very simple way of quieting your spirit before God. I would be glad to share more if you are interested.

Dear Pasteel, It was new to me and I had to look it up. I was not taught this at all, although I do know how to still myself in the Presence of God to hear the living Word. I would be so honored and privileged, if for no one else but me, you would share. I know I have room for growth. Thank you. Am I right in understanding this is a Catholic practice beginning in the 12th century? I am non-dom so I have no defences up. I have also read, The Imitation Of Christ many times, along with other great Christian instructors.

"Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a method of prayer and scriptural reading intended to engender communion with the Triune God and to provide special spiritual insights. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray from God's Word."

Here are the steps in Lectio Divina:

1. Lectio(read)- read a brief passage of scripture, listening with your heart. Note what word or phrase seems to call out to you.

2. Meditatio(meditate)- Slowly reread the passage, and repeat the word that calls out to you, asking God, "What do you want me to learn from this today? Why this word right now in my life?"

3. Oratio(pray)- Read the passage a third time. Place yourself before God as you read and speak to God whatever it is that is on your heart at the time.

4. Contemplatio(contemplation)- Read the passage one more time as you sit quietly. Let God speak to your heart. Let go of the text and simply rest in GOd. Enjoy the quiet and the peace of this moment as you meditate upon your relationship with God.

Hope some of this is helpful. It has enabled me to allow certain passages in the Bible to come alive for me and to speak to a particular need at the time in my life. It also helps to allow a few minutes of silence between the readings.

I appreciate the simplicity and wisdom. Your instruction is concise and I will benefit from it. Many Scriptures are personal promises to me and rhema words have come forth from single passages. I did not know this was an artful practice. Thank you for your contribution.

Today I meditated on: Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

My favorite is this one given to me decades ago: Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Anyone else want to contribute a favorite or a new one meditated on using Lectio Divina?