Close your mouth,
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth,
Just breathe in and out of your nose.
Tonight as you lie in bed,
We'll use gentle breathing to progressively down-regulate your nervous system,
Gradually calming everything down.
This 15 minute guided breathwork session is designed to take you from the alertness of your day into the drowsy safety of deep sleep.
We'll begin with a couple of slightly deeper breaths,
All through the nose,
With tiny pauses.
Then step by step,
The breaths will become softer,
Slower and smaller.
The pauses between breaths will gently lengthen,
Giving your body more and more permission to relax.
There's no need to follow exact counts or worry about doing it right,
Simply listen and breathe.
By the end,
Your breathing will be slow and natural and my voice will gently fade into the background,
Allowing deep sleep to take over.
Before we begin,
Make sure you're already lying comfortably in bed.
You may be on your back with your arms resting by your sides,
Or on your side,
Even on your front,
Whatever feels easiest for your body.
Allow the covers to wrap around you,
Close your eyes,
There is nothing else you need to do right now.
Let your body sink into the mattress,
Feel the gentle pull of gravity supporting you completely.
When you're ready,
We'll begin with a deep cleansing breath.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose,
Allowing your belly to gently rise.
Pause briefly,
Then exhale slowly through your nose,
Letting the air seep out,
Allowing your body to soften.
Very good.
Let's do that once more.
Inhale through your nose,
Feeling your tummy expand.
Pause for just a moment,
Then breathe out slowly,
Releasing any tension you're holding.
Now allow your breathing to settle into a smooth natural rhythm,
No rush,
No effort.
Inhale through your nose,
Exhale through your nose.
With each breath,
Imagine you're sending a quiet signal of safety to your mind and body,
Breathing in calm and breathing out stress.
Each gentle breath tells your heart rate to slow,
Your muscles will loosen.
You are safe,
You can let go now.
On your next inhale,
Breathe in softly for about four seconds.
Pause briefly,
Then exhale slowly for six seconds.
Let's do one together.
Inhale through your nose,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Pause,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
With each exhale,
Feel the weight of the day leaving your body.
Each slow breath out is like a soft sigh of relief.
You may notice your thoughts beginning to slow.
If a thought arises,
Something from today or a concern about tomorrow,
That's okay.
There's no need to push it away.
Simply acknowledge it and let it float off with your next exhale.
Return your attention to your breath.
Nothing else matters right now.
There is nowhere else you need to be.
Nothing you need to do,
Just breathing and resting.
Now let's reduce the effort of each breath a little more.
Begin to breathe softly,
Lightly,
Quietly.
You don't need to fill your lungs fully,
Just a comfortable inhale and a smooth effortless exhale.
Imagine there's a feather resting under your nose and you're breathing so gently as to not move it.
Inhale softly,
Pause,
Exhale slowly.
Notice how as your breathing becomes lighter,
Your body becomes heavier.
You are going into rest and digest.
Allow a small pause after each exhale.
Enjoy that stillness before the next breath arrives naturally.
Those pauses are signals of deep relaxation.
Now we'll introduce tiny pauses.
Inhale softly through your nose,
Hold gently for two seconds,
Exhale slowly.
Pause again for two seconds,
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Pause.
Notice how peaceful the space between breaths is,
Like the calm moment between waves on a quiet shore.
Let your breathing slow naturally,
There's no need to count anymore,
Just follow the rhythm your body chooses.
By now your breath is very soft,
You have a buildup of saliva in your mouth from the rest and digest.
You barely notice your breath at all,
It's feather light.
These are signs your body is unwinding,
Preparing for deep sleep.
Your heart rate is slowing,
Your muscles are relaxed,
Your mind is quiet.
Allow your eyelids to feel heavy,
Let your jaw unclench,
Your shoulders melt down,
Your arms and legs are loose,
Supported and still.
Now,
Simply continue breathing gently on your own,
Inhaling softly,
Pausing,
Exhaling slowly,
Pausing.
There is nothing else you need to do,
Allow yourself to drift.
If you stop actively following the breath,
That's perfectly fine,
It means sleep is arriving.
As my voice fades,
The calm remains.
Your body knows it is safe tonight,
Your body knows how to sleep.
Allow the quiet to take over,
Let go of any remaining effort.
May your sleep be deep,
Restorative and healing.
Good night.
