Chibs here and welcome to today's 10 minute NSDR practice.
NSDR stands for non-sleep deep rest and it's your fast track to mastering relaxation.
It's a science-backed technique,
A simple but powerful tool to slow your heart and calm your nerves.
You can use it to help you drift off into a peaceful sleep but you can also use it to tap into a deep state of relaxation during the day.
This practice is great for naps,
For relaxation or to ease you into a deep restorative sleep.
If you've got anything to do after this you might want to set an alarm just in case you drift off a little longer than planned.
But if you're using this to get to sleep feel free to simply lay back,
Relax and enjoy the ride.
If your eyes are still open feel free to gently close them.
We're going to start by engaging our relaxation response with some controlled breathing and then we'll move our attention into the body.
Let's begin by gently bringing our awareness to the breath,
Noticing the inhale,
Noticing the exhale,
And if the mind wanders,
Thinking about the day,
Worrying about tomorrow,
That's okay.
Thinking is what our minds do best.
As soon as you become aware that you're lost in thought,
Gently bring your awareness back to the breath.
With each breath we take we get a little more relaxed.
Okay good.
Now for the next minute or two we're going to do a controlled breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing.
This breathing pattern is like a natural tranquilizer for your nervous system.
It can help prepare your body for rest,
Making it easier to relax and ease into sleep.
We're going to breathe in for a count of four,
Hold the breath for a count of seven,
And breathe out for a count of eight.
Now do what you can to stay with my count but make sure you don't force anything.
If it feels difficult just breathe slowly and deeply in and out through your nose.
I'll count you through the first few breaths and then I'll leave you to find your own rhythm.
Okay,
So we're keeping the body relaxed as we breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
So now you can let that go and allow the breath to return to normal.
Notice how the body's breathing now.
Okay,
Good.
Now we're going to move our attention into the body and we're going to scan through it as we welcome a sense of relaxation.
We'll start at the feet and slowly move all the way up to the head.
Let's begin by bringing awareness to your left foot,
Letting it fall naturally to the side,
Letting go of tension.
Maybe you can feel where it's making contact with the mattress or with the sheets,
Allowing the toes to relax,
Allowing the sole of the foot to relax.
Noticing any sensations in the left foot.
You might be feeling tingles or pulses.
Maybe there's no sensation.
Moving our awareness over to the right foot,
Letting go of tension.
Noticing sensations of relaxation,
Maybe tingles,
Warm feelings,
Pulses.
And now we're going to scan through the body.
Don't worry if you get distracted.
That's part of the relaxation process.
That's your mind letting go.
Just pick up on my instructions when you notice you've drifted off.
Moving our awareness into the left lower leg,
The right lower leg,
The left knee,
The right knee,
Left upper leg,
The right hip,
The shoulder blades,
The left shoulder,
The right shoulder,
Left upper arm,
Right upper arm,
Left elbow,
The right elbow,
Left forearm,
The right forearm,
The left hand,
The right hand.
Moving our awareness into the belly,
The chest,
The jaw,
The cheeks,
The ears,
The eyes,
The forehead,
The back of the head,
And the top of the head.
And now let's expand our awareness,
Moving our attention through the entire length of the body,
From the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and tips of the toes.
Resting,
Letting go,
Allowing our body to find balance.
Enjoying this experience of relaxation and letting it sink deep into the body.
And now let's bring our awareness back to the breath,
Noticing that we don't have to make any effort to breathe.
Breath is simply the body breathing.
There's nothing else to do,
There's nowhere else to be.
We're simply here,
Right now,
In this moment.
In deep and peaceful rest.
