Hi,
My name is Asa.
Welcome to this body scan for sleep guided meditation.
This beginner friendly sleep meditation involves scanning and relaxing the body from the head all the way down to the toes.
So get nice and cozy in your bed,
And when you're ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Slowly begin to deepen your breath,
Making each breath a little fuller than the last.
Bring one or both hands to your belly and feel your belly gently lift when you breathe in and lower when you breathe out.
Visualize the breath flowing in and all the way down to your belly,
Causing it to slowly expand like a balloon each time you inhale,
And allow your belly to fully relax each time you exhale.
Continue belly breathing at a relaxed and comfortable pace.
And if at any time during the meditation you notice your mind has wandered,
Simply take a deep breath and bring your attention back to your body and to the guided instruction.
We'll begin our body scan with the head and face.
Notice any sensations you feel here.
The pillow beneath your head,
Any air blowing on your face,
Movement in your eyes,
Moisture in your mouth,
Or tension in your jaw.
And if you notice any tension,
Pressure,
Or even pain in your head or face,
Try visualizing it dissolving when you breathe out.
And if any thoughts or emotions arise,
Acknowledge them and breathe through them too.
Allow each exhale to soften and release.
Slowly bring your attention down to your neck and throat.
Notice any sensations on the surface of your skin,
Like where the back of your neck meets your pillow,
And deeper within,
Like how your throat might be holding on to tension that you weren't aware of.
Acknowledge any thoughts or emotions that come up and use your breath to soften your throat and your neck muscles.
Allow your exhales to dissolve any lingering tension or pressure.
Feel your neck and throat completely relaxed.
Draw your attention down to your shoulders.
Notice where they touch the mattress and how they move ever so slightly when you breathe in and out.
Feel into your shoulders and notice if there's any tension.
And if there is,
Breathe into it.
Imagine the tension melting away with each exhale.
If any thoughts or emotions come up,
Recognize them and breathe through them as well.
Take a few more breaths to observe and relax.
Notice your left arm,
Hand,
And fingers.
Feel the weight of them as they rest here on the bed.
Notice any sensations on the surface of the skin,
Like your pajamas or blanket,
And a little deeper within,
Like tingling,
Pulsing,
Warmth,
Or coolness.
And bring your full awareness into your left arm,
Hand,
And fingers.
And if you notice any tension or pain or any thoughts or emotions come up,
Acknowledge them and use your breath to release and relax,
Perhaps even visualizing any tension flowing out through your fingertips.
And become aware of your right arm,
Hand,
And fingers.
Notice how they feel compared to the left side.
Observe the sensations on the skin and deep in the muscles and bones.
Breathe into any tension,
Pressure,
Or pain that might come up and visualize it dissolving as you breathe out.
And if any thoughts or emotions arise,
Acknowledge them and breathe through them.
Allow each exhale to release any lingering tension.
Draw your attention to your back.
And notice where your back sinks into the mattress.
Become aware of any sensations in your back muscles and your spine.
If you feel any tension or pain in this area,
Continue to breathe deeply and focus on relaxing your back with each exhale.
And if any thoughts or emotions come up,
Breathe through them as well and stay focused on your breath and relaxing your body.
Allow your back to melt into the mattress,
Releasing any last bit of tension.
Feel into your chest and belly.
Notice the gentle movement here as your breath flows in and out.
Become aware of the feeling of your pajamas or blanket,
The beat of your heart,
And any sensations in your stomach.
Feel into your chest and belly,
And if you notice any tension,
Use your breath to relax your body.
And if bringing your awareness to this area stirs up any thoughts or emotions,
Calm your mind with your breath.
Deep breaths.
Let go of anything preventing you from relaxing here.
Slowly bring your attention to your left leg and left foot.
Feel the weight of them as they rest here.
Notice the feeling of fabric against your skin and sensations deeper within such as tingling,
Pulsing,
Warmth or coolness.
Notice if there's any tension,
And if so,
Breathe into it.
Imagine the tension melting away with each exhale.
If you'd like,
You can visualize the tension flowing out from the sole of your foot.
And if any thoughts or emotions come up,
Recognize them and breathe through them.
Take a few more breaths to observe and relax.
Notice your right leg and right foot,
And how they feel compared to the left side.
Feel the weight of them on the mattress,
And any sensations on the skin.
Observe any sensations in the muscles or the bones,
Or feelings like warmth,
Coolness,
Tingling or pulsing.
Acknowledge any thoughts or emotions that arise,
And use your breath to soften and relax your leg and foot.
Allow each exhale to relax your leg and foot even further.
Scan your whole body,
From your head all the way down to your toes,
And use your breath to release any lingering areas of tension.
Allow your body to sink down even more into the mattress,
Feeling deeply relaxed.
Focus on the gentle flow of your breath,
And the sensations of your relaxed muscles until you drift off to sleep.
You can use this practice of observing and consciously relaxing your body and mind if you awaken again during the night.
Thank you for practicing this body scan for sleep.
I wish you a restful night's sleep.
