I have ADHD and my brain doesn’t switch off at night, I need to help out a little. If I just lie down then suddenly I’m replaying the day, thinking about tomorrow, worrying about things I can’t control anyway. Meditation has been the one thing that actually helps.
My best combination
I sleep differently on the nights I do this versus the nights I don’t! And I fall asleep a lot easier.
Step 1: Wim Hof Breathing
I always start here. Three rounds before I even think about meditating. It’s an intense technique, but the retention phases create a deep physical calm. By the time I’m done, my body feels heavy and my mind has stopped running. The meditation after always goes better when I’ve done this first.
Step 2: Breath Focus Meditation
After the Wim Hof rounds, I do about 10 minutes of guided meditation. Just bringing my attention back to the breath whenever it wanders. Every time I notice I’ve drifted into thinking about tomorrow, I come back. That’s the whole practice.
You can recreate this full practice in my free app Ma.
Me and My Daughters Favorite
My daughter is to young for breathwork, so when it’s time to go to sleep we often do a 20 minutes long body scan. This one is also available in the app Ma.
Body Scan
You move your attention slowly from your head and down to your feet, noticing sensations without trying to change anything. It’s more active than breath focus, which helps when you’re too wired for something subtle. The systematic structure gives the mind enough to do that it stops generating drama, and the body follows.
Combination For Restless Nights
Some nights I just don’t have the energy for Wim Hof. This is my low-effort version.
Step 1: 4-7-8 Breathing
Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8. A few rounds of this slows your heart rate down fast. It’s a lot gentler than Wim Hof but the effect on the nervous system is real.
Step 2: Silent Meditation With Ambience
After the breathing I just stop and sit with it. No guide, nothing to follow, just some ambient sound in the background, beach waves, instrumental, whatever feels right that night. The breathing has already done most of the work. This part is just letting it land.
All three combinations are available in Ma, my free app for breathwork and meditation.
