Sleep Aid: Soften Into Sleep

This will be a time for gentle breathing and body scanning to help you leave behind the imprints of the day and peacefully drift into a deep sleep. This is part of the Sleep Aid series. Provided by StressFit.

Transcript

Welcome to another stress-fit meditation.

Sleep is not just a passive process or a time when our normal mental and physical activities shut down.

Rather,

Sleep is actually an active and dynamic physiological process,

Essential for our normal motor and cognitive function.

Sleep is the foundation of all health and well-being.

It's where we recharge our batteries.

This is a space and time for your body to heal and your mind to process the day.

As you slip into the sheets and relax into your bed,

Take a moment to communicate to yourself that sleep time is approaching.

For full effect,

I highly recommend you listen with headphones.

This will allow you to receive my instructions on a deeper level as you peacefully drift off into a deep sleep.

If you carry the stresses of the day into your sleep,

Your quality of rest will be undermined and you will wake up still feeling tired.

Allow this meditation to be a time for you to let go of all your stresses and peacefully drift into sleep while listening to my voice.

By the end of this practice,

Your mind will loosen its grip,

Your body will be liberated,

Giving way to the tranquility of a free and open heart to be peacefully delivered into the land of sleep.

I'd like to begin with a quote by Michael Fadde.

Good night.

May you fall asleep in the arms of a dream so beautiful you'll cry when you awake.

Let's begin to signal to your body that it's time to let go of the day's tension.

We will do this by tensing all of the muscles in the body on the inhale to the count of seven and then release all the tension during a long exhale from my count of seven.

As you inhale,

Consciously invite the clean air to fill every nook and cranny of your body,

Infiltrating every tissue,

Muscle,

Bone,

Organ,

And cell of your body.

Feel the clean air detecting where your tension is being held and then feel the air loosening the grip of the tension and attaching itself to the tension when you're holding your breath.

As you exhale and deliver your muscles to a relaxed state,

Feel the tension leaving the body with the air and also feel your entire body slowly loosening and lengthening into the softness of your bed.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Become aware of the muscles softening and lengthening,

Letting go of the residual stress from the day.

Allow the muscles to become aware of the support of your bedding.

You might imagine your whole body is suspended on a bed of clouds,

Softening and molding to your form.

Notice the softening and releasing of your body going deeper into the bed.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

With every exhalation,

Imagine the weight in your shoulders softening and being absorbed into the earth beneath you as you feel your body become lighter and lighter.

Becoming aware of the muscles now around your neck,

Jaw and temple,

And as you allow your head to sink slowly into the pillow,

Become aware of your neck and the muscles around your neck and the weight of your head.

Let the pillow support your head,

Breathing in and releasing and letting go.

Notice your jaw on the next exhale.

Become aware of the tension around your head.

Let your teeth separate a little and rest the base of your tongue in the bottom of your mouth,

Keeping aware of the muscles around your face and head.

Inhale.

Tense all the muscles of the face as if you just tasted something really sour.

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Notice your back and legs.

Become aware of the tension in and around these areas.

And on your next breath,

Release the gripping.

Let your back loosen into the bed and rest your legs and feet,

Keeping aware of the muscles around your back and legs.

Inhale.

Tense all the muscles.

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

With every inhale and exhale,

Allow your body to know and accept this release.

Become welcoming of it,

Breathing in,

Accepting the relaxation,

Breathing out and releasing anything that doesn't serve you.

On your next inhale,

Become aware of your eyes and eye sockets.

Feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier and heavier,

Inhaling and feeling the space of silence throughout your entire being.

From the world of light and exposure to the darkness and shadows of the night.

Inhale,

Tense the muscles of the eye sockets.

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale.

Tense seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale and release seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

With every inhale and exhale,

Allow your eyes to tense and release.

Feel the pressure of taking in information to your brain subside,

Breathing in,

Accepting the relaxation,

Breathing out and releasing the tension from the eyes.

Becoming aware of your arms,

Feel the weight of the arms sinking further into the bed.

Become aware of any hidden tension and on the exhale,

Allow that tension to be released down to the earth beneath you.

When you breathe in,

Feel the lightness of being throughout your whole body.

Feel the ease of resting in your bed.

Feel the contact of the bedding meeting your skin.

Become aware of the wave-like motion of your breath.

Breathing in,

You are feeling safe.

Breathing out,

Feeling at peace.

Breathing in,

You are safe.

Breathing out,

You are at peace.

Allow your breath now to fall into its natural flow.

Breathe in,

You are at peace.

Breathe out,

You are at peace.

Breathe in,

You are at peace.

Breathe out,

You are at peace.

If any thoughts,

Memories or impressions arise,

Just use the breath to wash them away.

Let them drift to the far reaches of your field of awareness and allow them to dissolve into the darkness.

Let them drift to the far reaches of your field of awareness and allow them to dissolve into the darkness.

Let them drift to the far reaches of your field of awareness and allow them to dissolve into the darkness.

Imagining that your bed is your beautiful resting spot,

That bubble of peace,

That bed of clouds,

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Gently and softly drifting off into the distance.

Reviews

Just perfect and relaxing! Letting go the day and the tensions, in preparation for sleep. Elliott’s soothing guidance, with the music lulled me into a deep sleep! One to come back to. Thanks so much Elliot.
🙏🏽💚☀️💚

Thank you Elliott🙏this morning I wake up felling so relax.the quality of sleep was excellent a deep six hours which usually it’s 4-5 hrs.🙏♥️🙏

Elliott🙏🏾
So soothing and soulful💤I will never make it to the end😉Namaste🌟

Fell right to sleep

I just finished meditating today and it was absolutely amazing meditation, I wanna thank you so much for this amazing experience. Cheers from Toronto Canada
Alfredo. 🕉 🧘🏼‍♂️ 🙏

Wonderful, a beautiful gentle voice, thank you for sharing Elliot 🙏🧘‍♀️

Thank you for sharing

Brilliant loved this! 🙏🏻 thank you Elliot for your wonderful guidance!

Great really relaxing

I really relaxed 😌 with

Relaxing and calming! Namaste 🙏🏼

As always, an excellent meditation. Thank you Elliott.💞🙏

Great! I had a wonderful sleep after listening to this.

Soothing voice. Very calming

I was skeptical at the beginning because I didn't want to do all that tensing muscles and releasing. But damn, I slept like a baby.

Fell asleep within 7 minutes.... amazing!

To sleep immediately and through the night. Thanks!

Thank you :) very beautiful !

Thank you Elliott, you are amazing.
Just love all your meditations. You are the best!