Welcome.
If you're awake right now and your mind is still active,
You're not alone.
Sometimes the body is ready for sleep,
But the mind is still moving.
Thank you.
Replaying.
Planning.
Nothing has gone wrong.
This is simply a moment where the mind hasn't settled yet.
And for now,
There is nothing you need to solve.
Nothing you need to figure out.
Nothing you need to fix.
This can simply become a space to rest.
There is no need to make sleep happen.
You don't have to force anything.
If sleep comes,
It comes.
If it doesn't,
That's okay too.
You are still resting.
And rest still restores you.
So instead of trying to fall asleep.
Simply allow yourself to be here.
Nothing to do and nowhere to be.
Take a moment now to make yourself comfortable.
Perhaps adjusting a pillow.
Pulling a blanket around you.
Softening your jaw.
Or taking deeper breaths.
Allow yourself to create a cozy nest for rest.
And once you've settled,
Allow the surface beneath you to begin doing some of the work.
You do not have to hold yourself up.
You do not have to stay alert.
You do not have to monitor anything.
The bed is holding you.
The room is holding you.
The night is still holding you.
Take a slow breath in.
And a gentle breath out.
Again,
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
As you exhale,
Imagine the day beginning to loosen its grip.
The responsibilities,
The conversations.
The decisions.
The list.
Everything softening.
Just a little.
Nothing disappearing,
Simply being placed aside for now.
Take another breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Imagine your body becoming heavy.
Very heavy.
As though a soft weighted blanket is draped over you.
Gently pressing you into rest.
Comforting.
Protective.
Save.
Heavy and supported.
Heavy and relaxed.
There is nowhere else you need to be tonight.
As we move through this body scan together,
There is nothing to achieve.
You are simply offering kind awareness to each part of your body.
Allowing relaxation to arrive in its own time.
If your mind drifts,
That's okay.
Sleep often arrives in these gentle moments of wandering.
Begin with your lips.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
The space between the lips.
Allow the lips to soften.
Releasing the last effort of the day.
No longer needing to speak.
No longer needing to hold expression.
Soft.
Relax.
Now feel inside the mouth.
Roof of the mouth.
Tongue.
Allow the tongue to become heavy.
Why?
Resting quietly in the bottom of the mouth.
No effort.
No holding.
Notice the teeth.
Creating a small easy space between the teeth.
Jaw.
Soften.
Releasing.
Unclutching Let the jaw become loose.
Slack.
On Guarded.
Cheeks heavy.
Warm.
Relax.
Gently settling downwards with gravity.
Now notice your nose.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Both nostrils.
Cool air entering.
Warm air leaving.
Breath arriving on its own.
Breath leaving on its own.
Nothing to manage.
Notice the eyes.
Eyelids.
Heavy.
Resting like soft curtains over the eyes.
The tiny muscles around the eyes softening.
The eyes sinking back into their sockets.
Support it.
At ease.
Forehead.
Allow the forehead to smooth.
The space between the eyebrows widening.
Softening.
Temples.
Relaxing.
The entire face is soft.
Heavy.
At rest.
Notice your ears the wrinkles and folds of the ears.
Backs of the ears.
Aware of sounds without reaching for them.
Sounds can come and go.
Passing through without effort.
Notice the scalp.
The crown of the head.
The back of the head.
Everything loosening.
Everything softening.
Now the neck.
Front of the throat.
Side to the neck.
Back of the neck.
Widening.
Lengthening.
Supported.
The entire head and neck together.
Heavy.
Relax.
Bring awareness now to the right shoulder.
The shoulder has carried much today.
Allow it to draw.
Just a little more Really seeing the weight of a day.
Right upper arm.
Feel its heaviness.
The muscles no longer need to hold themselves up.
They soften.
Lengthen.
Gently dripping away from the bone.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Rinse.
Palm.
Become aware of the thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Notice the entire hand.
Saw.
Heavy.
Relax.
The whole right arm resting.
Now left shoulder.
Dropping away from the ear upper arm.
The muscles have carried much today.
Allow them to soften.
Lengthen gently melting away from the bones.
Elbow.
For wrists.
Palm.
Tom.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
The whole hand.
The entire left arm heavy.
Support it.
Relax.
Both hands and arms together.
Sinking deeper into relaxation.
Notice your chest.
Breath moving naturally.
Become aware of the heart space.
Quiet.
Upper back.
Shoulder blade.
Between the shoulder blades.
Middlebar.
Low back.
Allow the entire back body to melt downward.
Like warm fabric settling onto the surface beneath you.
Support it.
Held.
Heavy.
Become aware of the belly.
Allow the belly to soften completely.
Nothing to hold in.
Nothing to brace against.
The breath gently moving the belly.
The belly soft.
At you.
Become aware of the right hip.
Bye.
Ding!
Right calf.
Right ankle.
Top of the foot.
Heal.
Soul of the foot.
Big toe.
2nd toe 3rd toe 4th toe 5th toe whole right leg heavy.
Relax.
Become aware of the left hip.
Bye.
Me.
Left calf.
Left ankle.
Top of the foot.
Heal.
Sole of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Whole left leg.
Heavy.
Relax.
Now both feet together.
Both feet and legs together.
Notice the entire back body.
Front body.
Right side of the body.
The left side of the body.
The entire body heavy.
Supported.
At rest.
And now there is nowhere else to go.
Nothing more to do.
Nothing left to solve tonight.
Imagine a quiet night sky above you.
Dark.
Spacious.
Peaceful.
The moon resting overhead.
Softly illuminating the night.
And perhaps there are clouds.
Slowly moving clouds.
Passing naturally through the sky.
Sometimes the moon is fully visible.
Sometimes it is partially hidden.
And then it reappears once again.
Nothing has disappeared.
Everything remains exactly where it has always been.
And perhaps your thoughts can be like this too.
There is no need to stop them.
No need to force them away.
No need to follow them.
You may simply allow them to drift.
And if it feels helpful,
Imagine placing each thought gently beside you for the night.
The to-do list can wait until morning.
The conversations.
Can wait until morning.
The decision.
Can wait until morning.
The unanswered questions.
Can wait until morning.
Nothing is gone.
It is simply resting.
And you can rest too.
The moon remains overhead.
The night continues.
The world continues turning.
You do not have to hold everything right now.
The night is holding you.
Bed is holding you.
Your breath is holding a gentle rhythm for you.
There is still time to rest.
Allow these words to begin fading into the background now.
Nothing to focus on.
Nothing to follow.
Just breathing.
Resting.
Softening.
Drifting.
Your body knows how to sleep.
You've done this thousands of times before.
There is nothing you need to figure out.
Sleep does not need to be chased.
It can arrive quietly.
The way a yawn arrives.
Naturally.
Without effort.
You don't need to watch for it.
You don't need to check if it's happening.
You can simply rest.
Your body is heavy.
Your breath is easy.
Your mind no longer needs to work so hard.
If thoughts arise.
They can drift by.
And you can gently return.
Into the heaviness.
The softness.
The feeling of being supported.
You have done enough today.
Tomorrow will come.
Everything waiting for your attention can be met then.
But for now.
There is nothing required of you.
Only rest.
Only breathing.
Only softness.
The night is still holding you.
And sleep can come whenever it is ready.
Rest well.
