Meditation CDs for Power Naps

It used to be that meditation CDs were just pleasant music and perhaps some “sounds of nature” thrown in. There is nothing wrong with that. They were relaxing and could help you get into a meditative state. But the newest recordings use more than just a light tune and the sound of rain or waves. The good ones now use embedded beats and pulses that lead your brainwaves into the desired state. These new brainwave entrainment technologies are powerful.

That power to quickly and consistently alter your brain makes CDs of this type good for meditation, of course, but also for something else: Putting you to sleep. In fact, some of my meditation recordings have put me to sleep within ten minutes every time I have used them for that purpose. If you want the meditative effect without the sleep, you better sit up while you listen!

But why would you want to use them for sleep? Because there is almost no other way for most people to fall asleep so quickly, which makes these recordings perfect for a “power nap.” Formerly called a “cat nap” these are short sessions of sleep that refresh both body and mind. They should be between ten and thirty minutes--any longer and you’ll probably feel groggy for an hour or more afterward.

To use meditation CDs for this, get one that takes you into a deeper state than the typical “alpha” range recordings. If the product shows the target brainwave pattern, look for one that is meant to slow you to less than 8 hertz (cycles per second). Lower than this is typically a sleep state unless you are sitting for meditation. Lay down and listen to one of these meditation CDs with headphones (stereo--almost all headphones are now), and you should be asleep in five to ten minutes.

If the total recording length is thirty minutes long, this is perfect. You’ll normally wake up at the end, and many of these brainwave entrainment products are designed to bring you back into the “beta” or waking state (14 hertz or higher) as they finish. This is something you can do at home or in your car--not while driving of course. You might even find a quiet corner of the office to use during a lunch break.

Now, if you really want the maximum power nap effect in terms of “waking up” your brain, try the following. Get a cup of coffee, lay down and put on the headphones to listen to your meditation CD. By the way, you can also download these recordings onto an MP3 player for greater convenience. Drink your coffee as you listen to the first few minutes, finishing it before you get too sleepy. Then take your fifteen minute nap.

The goal here is to have the caffeine get into your system just as you finish your nap (it takes about fifteen minutes), so you get up feeling relaxed but alert and ready to work on mental tasks. That’s how you use a meditation CDs for great power naps.