Welcome to this deep sleep guided visualisation.
Let's practice a breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing.
For this you'll be breathing in through your nose for a count of 4,
Holding the breath for a count of 7 and breathing out through your mouth for a count of 8.
If you have never done anything like this before,
There is no need to worry,
I'll be here to guide you every step of the way.
So let's begin with the first inhale for a count of 4,
1,
2,
3,
4 and hold at the top for a count of 7,
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
On the exhale let your lips slightly part and slowly release all of the oxygen out of your mouth for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Great job and don't worry if you got lost this first time.
With practice it gets easier.
Let's try a few more together.
Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of 1,
2,
3,
4,
Pause at the top and hold the breath for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
Exhale out the mouth for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale through the nose for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold the breath for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
Exhale slowly out the mouth making a whoosh sound for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale through the nose for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold the breath for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
Exhale slowly out the mouth making a whoosh sound for 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
And release your breath count.
Now bring your awareness to your body.
You may be holding onto tension and stress from the day that is over now.
We can actively relax the body,
Creating the conditions that invite rest and eventually deep sleep.
Close your eyes if you haven't already done so and begin to notice your breath.
Feeling your breath as it flows in through the nose and out through the mouth.
This is a wonderful way of tuning into the body as you lie here.
Take a few moments to follow the natural path of your breath as it unfolds moment to moment.
Now guide the breath to the top of your head and begin to gently breathe into any tightness or tension that you may find in the temples and the jaw.
You can liken this to having an internal massage that relieves any sensations such as achiness,
Tingling or throbbing that may have been present in the head and face.
Let the breath float down to the neck and shoulders,
Relaxing and releasing any tightness or gripping that is happening here.
Spend as long as you need to release the tightness that may be caused by hunching,
Typing,
Lifting and carrying all day.
Continue down the body,
Allowing your breath to skim over the chest and upper back,
Easing and soothing as it unfolds.
The aim is not to investigate too deeply,
But to run your breath over the body,
Acknowledging and releasing all and any sensations as you go.
You may notice your mind wandering away to thoughts about sleep,
About not getting any sleep,
About waking up feeling unrefreshed and feeling tired throughout the day.
This is the natural way for the mind to behave,
And so when you notice you have been distracted in this way,
Be proud of yourself for noticing.
And then gently,
With kindness,
Bring your attention back to the body and breath.
Moving down the body,
Breathe into any tension held in the pelvis and hips,
Allowing them to relax into the bed or furniture beneath you.
Continue down past the thighs,
Using the breath to soften the large thigh muscles,
Letting them melt into the bed or furniture beneath you,
And down to the knees,
Allowing the breath to soften these too,
As they take respite from the ups and downs of the day.
Breathing deep into the shins and ankles,
Letting go of any tightness that resides here.
Continue breathing all the way down to your feet.
If you feel as though you've missed a bit or you lost your place,
That's okay.
Take a moment to go back and breathe into this place.
And finally,
Breathing into the feet,
The soles of the feet,
And breathing into each toe one by one.
Now very gently,
Withdrawing the awareness from the body,
Bring your attention to focus solely on the path of the breath as it moves in and out of the body.
Enjoy breathing and following the breath as it unfolds moment to moment.
Now gently withdrawing the awareness from breathing,
Shift your focus to the body,
Feeling into the world of sensations,
Feelings and emotions,
And acknowledging the need to release any stress or tension in the body.
If you can allow any of these areas to soften,
By all means,
Let that happen.
It's also important to know that if you are unable to soften,
Let it be.
There's no need to push yourself right now.
Make every movement,
Every intention and every thought as gentle and kind as possible.
Now take a deep breath in,
Drop the shoulders,
Release the uprightness of the spine.
And if you haven't already done so,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Looking at one spot on the floor or wall.
Insomnia builds up over time and can be caused by stress,
A sudden life change or change in circumstance.
Whatever your reason for insomnia,
Whether this is known or not,
This session will help you to find relaxation and a sense of calm,
Creating deep rest in the body and mind.
And now gently withdrawing our awareness from the idea of insomnia,
And begin to focus your attention on breathing.
Notice the path of the breath as it moves in and out of your body,
Noticing how fast or slow it flows,
Whether the air is warm or cool.
Just being mindful of the breath in and the breath out.
Imagine that with each breath in,
You're breathing in drowsiness and relaxation,
And with each breath out,
You're releasing racing thoughts and stress.
Great job.
Now allow your mind and body to rest in this relaxed space that you've created.
Feel your body settling,
Slowly and naturally leaving behind the worries of the day.
Bring your awareness back to your mind.
Imagine what's happening in the mind at this moment.
The mind is just like the sun.
Each morning the mind awakens like the sun rising in the sky.
At night the mind relaxes just as the sun sets on the horizon.
We're going to begin a calming guided visualisation now.
And all you need to do is relax,
Listen and follow my simple directions as you drift off into a state of rest.
Go ahead and imagine sitting outside in a comfortable chair now,
A little before sunset,
And you're facing the direction of the setting sun.
Notice if there are clouds in the sky.
Notice if they are drifting or stationary in the evening sky.
As the sun begins its daily journey of setting on the horizon,
Imagine a large orange orb beginning its slow descent down.
Down.
Notice how the sun gradually gets lower and lower in the sky,
Heading towards its resting place for the night.
The longer you sit here watching,
The lower the sun gets.
Notice how the sky begins to change colour,
Barely noticeable at first,
The odd streak of pink blended with the pale blue and white of the evening sky.
Imagine the pink shades beginning to fade to a softer orange,
Flowing across the evening sky as the sun finally meets the horizon.
As the sun continues to set,
The blues give way to soft purples and your body continues to settle down.
As the sun disappears entirely,
Making way for the night sky to emerge,
Imagine the soft blue becoming darker and the white of the sky simply dissolving.
Notice how soft and calm your mind feels now,
Letting any distractions fade just as the colours in the sky are fading.
And slowly,
Ever so slowly,
The sky becomes a dark velvety blue.
As the final colours of the sunset fade away,
Rest here with the deep blue of the night sky.
There is nowhere you need to be right now,
And nothing you need to do but enjoy this relaxing night sky.
You can take a moment to invite your mind and body to continue to soften as you relax into a state of deep restful peace.
Let your mind continue to slow down,
Finding calm and ease.
Let your body discover the comfort in the softness of your pillow,
The firmness of your mattress and the cosiness of the blankets on your bed.
Thank you for taking the time to join me for this deep sleep meditation.
Rest well.
