Drift To Sleep

Sleep is elusive and our minds are difficult things to turn "off". However, the more we try to turn off our thoughts, the worse it becomes. Sleep cannot be forced but must come naturally. This meditation is to help you sleep by simplifying your thoughts through a body scan as you drift off.
Music credit to Bensound

Transcript

Hello everyone, My name is Faye Brooks and this meditation is to help those other troubled sleepers hopefully get a good night's rest. For maximum effectiveness of this meditation, I recommend pausing the meditation and writing down all of your thoughts, Worries, And to-do lists on a sheet of paper. Once everything is on that sheet of paper, You can put it out of your mind and not worry about remembering it because that sheet of paper will be there in the morning. After you have put away all of your thoughts on paper and cleared your mind, Find a comfortable spot to lay down, However your body calls you to lay down. The purpose of this meditation is not to force yourself to sleep or to force yourself to be still because if you try to force yourself to do anything with your body resisting and your brain insisting, That force alone will keep you awake. Likewise, Do not get upset with yourself if you cannot fall asleep right away or if you cannot still your mind or if you cannot find a comfortable spot. The more upset you are, The worse it gets. But moreover, Everyone has trouble sleeping at some point in time. It's not your fault, Just trust that sleep will come when it will come. Now let's begin this meditation with a mental check-in. First, I would ask you to notice your breath. Notice your breath without changing it. Is it slow or fast or are you having trouble noticing your breath at all because your mind is wandering? If your mind is wandering, Don't be upset. You can go back to the first step and write down those thoughts to save for tomorrow. Now we can pay more attention to our breath. And this is done simply. Go ahead and inhale until your stomach, Your diaphragm, Your lungs feel full. Hold that breath for a moment as long as it's comfortable for you and then exhale fully. Inhale again, As deep as you wish. Hold for a moment and then exhale. By doing this, You are paying attention to your breath. Continue to breathe and continue to notice your breath. Now notice your toes. Is there any tension in your toes? Do your toes need to be wiggled or stretched to feel more comfortable? If they do, Then do so now and then release any tension in your toes. Know that your toes, Like your body, Are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your toes are relaxed and heavy. Notice your feet now. Is there any tension in your feet? Does shifting your feet or stretching your feet make them more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension in your feet and know that your feet, Like your body, Is completely supported by the bed beneath you and your feet are relaxed and heavy. Now shift your attention to your ankles. Do you have any tension or stress in your ankles? Can you shift or rotate your ankles to release that stress and be more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension held in your ankles. Know that your ankles, Like your body, Are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your ankles are relaxed and heavy. Notice your calves. Is there any tension or knots in your calves? Could you stretch or move your calves to make yourself more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and know that your calves are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your calves are relaxed and heavy. Turn your attention to your knees. Is there any tension or pain in your knees? Will moving your knees in any way make you more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and know that your knees are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your knees are relaxed and heavy. Now notice your thighs. Is there any tension being held in your thighs? Is there any way you can move your thighs to be more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and know that your thighs are fully supported and that your thighs are relaxed and heavy. Turn your attention to your pelvis and hips. Is there any tension in your pelvis or hips? Is there any way to rotate or to move to make yourself more comfortable? If there is, Then do that now and release any tension in your hips and pelvis and know that both are fully supported just as the rest of your body is fully supported and know that your hips and your pelvis are relaxed and heavy. Now notice your stomach. Is there any tension in your stomach or any sense of dread and feeling of knots in your stomach? If so, Are you able to move at all to make yourself more comfortable? If you can, Do it now and release any tension held in your stomach and know that you are supported and your stomach feels relaxed and heavy. Now notice your back. Is there any tension being held in your back? Could you stretch your back, Wiggle your back to feel more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and know that your back is fully supported by the bed beneath you and your back is relaxed and heavy. Notice your chest, The feeling of your lungs and the feeling of your heart. Is there any tension or stress held there? With taking a few deep breaths, Relieve that tension and stress. If so, Then do that now and release all tension from your chest, Your heart and your lungs and know that you are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your chest, Heart and lungs are relaxed and heavy. Notice the top of your shoulders. Is there any tension being held in the top of your shoulders? Would a wiggle or a stretch help make yourself any more comfortable and if so, Do it now. Release any tension being held in your shoulders and know that you are fully supported and your shoulders are relaxed and heavy. Notice too, Your shoulder blades and notice if there is any tension being held specifically there. Should any movement or stretch help relieve any tension there or make you more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension being held in your shoulder blades and know that your shoulder blades are fully supported and are relaxed and heavy. Now notice your arms from the tops of your shoulder through your elbow and down to your wrist. Is there any tension in your arms? Would you shift or stretch your arms to make them more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension being held in your arms and know that your arms are fully supported by the bed beneath you and your arms are relaxed and heavy. Now notice your hands and notice if there's any tension in your hands. Should unclenching your hands or stretching your hands make you any more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension in your hands and know that your hands are supported and relaxed and heavy. Notice your fingers and if there's any tension in your fingers, Could you wiggle your fingers or stretch out your fingers to be a little bit more comfortable? If so, Then do it now and release any tension from your fingers and know that your fingers are fully supported and relaxed and heavy. Return to your neck and notice if there is any tension in your neck. Would you shift your neck in any way to be more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension in your neck and know that your neck is fully supported by the pillow and the bed beneath you and your neck is relaxed and heavy. Turn your attention to your jaw and notice if you're holding any tension in your jaw. Could it be more comfortable if you unclenched your teeth or shifted your jaw? If so, Then do that now and release any tension being held in your jaw and know your jaw is relaxed and heavy. Turn your focus to your forehead and the muscles right between your eyes. Is there any tension being held in your forehead? Would you wiggle your forehead or stretch out your brows to be more comfortable? If so, Then do that now and release any tension in your forehead and know that your forehead is relaxed and heavy. Now your entire person is relaxed and heavy and sinking into the support of the bed below it. You are calm, Tired, Supported, And at peace. Good night.