Hello.
If you're listening to this,
It means something in you is ready to rest.
Not to force sleep.
Not to fix anything.
Not to try harder.
Just to rest.
Your body knows how to sleep.
It's been doing this since you were born.
You don't need to make it happen.
You just need to stop getting in the way.
There's a natural window for sleep,
Usually around 10 o'clock,
When the body wants to get heavy.
Everything slows down.
Your eyes get tired.
Your limbs feel weighted.
This is your body's rhythm.
If you catch the window,
Sleep comes more easily.
If you push past it,
You catch a second wind,
And suddenly you're wired again.
But right now,
You're here,
And that's all that matters.
Find your way into stillness.
Lying down is best,
But if you're sitting,
That's fine too.
Just be where you are.
Feel the surface beneath you.
The bed.
The floor.
The chair.
Feel where your body is making contact.
The earth has been holding you all day.
Gravity has been doing its quiet work,
Keeping you upright,
Keeping you here.
Now you can let all your effort go.
Feel the weight of your head,
Heavy against the pillow.
Your shoulders sinking down.
Your hips pressing into the mattress.
Your legs,
Weighted,
Still.
You don't have to hold yourself up anymore.
Gravity is doing it for you.
All you have to do is allow yourself to be heavy.
Today,
You consumed more than food.
You consumed experiences,
Conversations,
News,
Information.
Other people's emotions.
All of it lives in your nervous system.
But you don't have to carry it into sleep.
You can let it go.
Take a breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Imagine the day leaving your body.
And again.
Breathe in.
And out.
Releasing.
You don't need to fix anything right now.
You don't need to solve anything.
This moment is only for rest.
Now we'll settle the nervous system with a simple rhythm of breath.
This isn't deep breathing.
There's no effort here.
Just a steady rhythm that tells the body you are safe.
Breathe in through the nose to a count of four.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
And out through the nose for a count of six.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
And again.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Exhale.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Let the breath be easy and effortless.
And just follow the count with me for a few minutes.
In for four.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Out for six.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
In again.
One.
Two.
Out.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Another time.
Inhale.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Exhale.
Six.
Five.
Four.
And one more time.
Inhale.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Exhale.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Now let the breath return to its natural rhythm.
You don't need to guide it anymore.
Just let it flow.
Now bring your awareness to your feet.
Feel them from the inside.
Heavy.
Warm.
Resting.
Let them soften completely.
Now take your attention to your lower legs,
Your calves,
Your shins.
Feel the weight of them.
Nothing to do and nowhere to go.
Now your thighs,
Heavy against the bed,
The chair,
Or the floor.
Let them release.
Your hips,
Your pelvis,
Sinking down.
Your belly,
Let it be soft.
You don't need to hold it in.
Let it rise and fall with the breath.
Your chest,
Feel it expanding gently,
Contracting gently.
The heart beating,
Steady,
Safe.
Your shoulders,
So much is held here.
Let them drop,
Let them soften,
Let them be heavy.
Your arms,
Weighted,
Resting.
Your hands,
Open,
Relaxed.
Your neck,
Your jaw,
Let the jaw release.
Teeth don't need to touch.
Your face,
The forehead,
The cheeks,
Still.
Feel your whole body now,
From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes.
Heavy.
Gravity is pulling you down.
Inviting.
Down into the mattress.
Down into the earth.
You don't have to stay awake anymore.
You don't have to hold on.
Not because you're trying.
Thank you.
