Good evening,
It's Mary here.
You're preparing for sleep,
But your mind might still be active from the day.
Maybe you're scrolling through tomorrow's schedule,
Replaying conversations or simply feeling too wired to rest.
This is your gentle transition from day consciousness to sleep readiness.
Sleep isn't something you force,
It's something you allow that starts with signaling to your nervous system that it's safe to let go of the day.
First,
Let's create the right conditions.
Dim the lights around you if you can,
Put your phone face down or ideally in another room.
Your nervous system needs these visual cues that daytime is ending.
Now let's help your mind release the day.
Take a moment to acknowledge three things.
Something you accomplished today,
Something you're grateful for and something you're looking forward to tomorrow.
This isn't about perfection,
Even on difficult days you can find something.
Maybe you simply made it through a challenging day,
Maybe you had a good cup of coffee and tomorrow offers a fresh start.
Let's prepare your body for rest.
Starting from the top of your head,
Consciously relax each part of your body.
Soften your forehead,
Relax your eyes,
Let your jaw drop slightly open,
Drop your shoulders away from your ears,
Let your arms feel heavy,
Soften your chest,
Release any tension in your back,
Let your hips sink into whatever you're sitting or laying on,
Relax your thighs,
Your calves,
Let your feet feel completely at ease.
Now we're going to use your breath to activate your body's natural sleep response.
This is the 4-7-8 breathing.
It's incredibly effective for shifting into rest mode.
Breathe in through your nose for four counts.
Hold for seven.
Exhale through your mouth for eight.
The long exhale tells your nervous system it's time to rest.
Let's do this three more times together.
Inhale through your nose.
Hold for seven.
Exhale through your mouth for eight.
Inhale through your nose for four.
Hold for seven.
Exhale through your mouth for eight.
Inhale through your nose for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold for seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale through your mouth for eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
If thoughts about tomorrow or worries about today arise,
That's completely normal.
Instead of fighting them,
Imagine placing each thought in a bubble and watching it float away.
You don't need to solve anything right now.
Your only job is to rest.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
Allow your awareness to become softer,
More diffused.
You're not trying to control anything anymore.
You're simply allowing sleep to come when it's ready.
Trust your body's wisdom.
Trust that rest will restore you.
Trust that tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sleep well.
You've earned this rest.
