Self-Care Before Sleep: Wind Down Gently

Come back to the space of peace, as you gently wind down with this nourishing self-care routine. In this practice you'll be guided through some deep, grounding breaths, a few gentle, intuitive stretches to help you release stiffness and tension from the body, soft self-massage and deeply relaxing meditation in the end that will help you fall asleep smoothly. A safe and nourishing space for your nervous system. Just come as you are and enjoy!

Transcript

Welcome love,

This is your space to unwind after the day,

To slow down and to listen to your body.

Find a comfortable seated position first,

On the floor,

On a cushion or your bed.

Just make sure you are supported.

Let your spine grow tall,

But don't stress or tense your body.

Let your shoulders fall away from your ears.

If you feel comfortable too,

You can gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.

Let's welcome this relaxing space with some slow and deep breaths.

Inhale longer through your nose.

Exhale softly through your mouth,

Just releasing the day.

And again,

Take two more breaths like that,

Welcoming a bit more peace,

A bit more space.

Feel that support beneath you,

Reminding yourself that this is your time and you can arrive just exactly as you are.

Place one hand onto your heart and the other on your belly.

Simple self-love act to regulate your nervous system,

To let your body know that it's safe.

It's safe to rest now.

Notice which one of your hands rises more easily with the breath,

Is it the hand onto your chest or on your belly?

Just observe without judgement,

Simply just be here for yourself.

Let's just invite a simple breathing practice,

We'll be just inhaling for the count of 4 and exhaling for the count of 6,

Just to lengthen the breath out a little bit.

Exhale fast,

Leaving the lungs totally empty and then inhaling for 1,

2,

3,

4,

Exhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

Exhale slowly releasing,

Letting go,

Inhale and exhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Let's just do 2 more rounds like that,

Inhale for 4,

Exhale for 6,

Relaxing your body and one more full breath in like that and full long exhale,

Let your breath move like gentle waves through you,

In and out,

Steady and soft.

And now we'll invite some slow and intuitive movements.

On your next inhale lift your shoulders up towards your ears,

Only your shoulders like you wanna shrug your shoulders and then exhale roll them down and back totally release.

A few more times like that just lift and squeeze your shoulders creating that conscious tension and then exhaling totally letting go and releasing.

Beautiful and just let go of your shoulders feel that warm energy there,

Let your head now move gently rolling from side to side,

Slowly move it to the right and to the left,

Lower your right ear to the right shoulder and to the opposite side just giving some love and some space to your neck,

Keeping the breath smooth and warm.

And then just let your chin land close to your chest as you feel the back of your neck stretching,

Feel that lengthening through the back of your neck,

Maybe even slightly shake your head or whatever movement you feel right now,

Maybe even a gentle self-massage to the back of your neck,

Slightly pressing onto those muscles that might feel a bit tense.

And then just when you're ready release,

Let's bring the arms up as you inhale reach towards the sky with your arms and just stretch your arm over and to the left so just to lengthen the right side of your body like a side body stretch,

Sitting down,

Breathing deeply into that space and then change to the other side,

Extend your left arm over your head and to the side,

Nice and long now left side body stretch,

Open through your ribs,

Through your chest,

Through your heart space and then slowly come back to centre,

Bring your both arms down and maybe a little shaking of your arms and then just begin some small circular movements with your spine as if you're staring the space inside your torso,

So you're simply moving your torso all around but this movement comes from your pelvis,

From your hips and just feel that change of the weight as you move forward,

Side,

Back and side,

Let it be fluid like a slow dance with your breath then change to the other direction,

Feeling those circles that are helping you to ground down more,

To release any tension around the hips,

Around the lower back and then after the next breath just release now let's bring your hands to your shoulders,

So bring your right hand onto your left shoulder and your left hand to your right shoulder and just with your fingertips,

With your fingers gently squeeze and release these muscles around your upper shoulders,

Around your upper arm towards your forearm and towards your wrists and now just let go of your left hand and with your right hand massaging the middle of your wrist first just releasing some tension from that space,

Especially if you spend so much time on the laptop or the phone,

Our wrist might get a bit tired or even practicing yoga we're just massaging that space gently keeping your whole hand relaxed and then massage with your right thumb around the inner palm so just feel different parts of your inner palm as you're pressing slightly,

Maybe it's underneath your left thumb,

Right in the middle of your palm,

Notice if there's any tension there,

If there's anything that feels really good today and just stay there for two more breaths and then just turn to the other side,

So now left hand onto your right wrist and just massage that right wrist slowly,

Massaging with your left thumb in the middle of your right wrist softening the tension there and then moving down through your whole inner palm,

Feeling maybe first the outsides of this palm and then the insides and all around giving yourself that loving and conscious touch whispering to your body thank you,

Thank you,

Thank you for being here and then slowly release,

Just rub your palms together to create some warmth and place them over your face,

Cover your eyes,

Your cheeks,

Your jaw and let that warmth from your hands soften your whole face start massaging gently around your temples feel also now the back of your skull the space right underneath your skull where your neck begins feel maybe some tension is already dissolving under your touch then massaging as well through your forehead,

Your cheekbones,

Your cheeks and your jaw as well,

Release that jaw,

Feel those muscles there relaxing a little bit more,

Keeping your mouth relaxed,

The tongue is relaxed as well imagine like you have that loving face cream that you're putting on your face now making you glow and shine from within and then from there let one hand rest over your heart and the other one on your belly sensing that gentle rhythm of your breath underneath your palms that rhythm of life the breath is that life within you just letting yourself know that you can rest now,

You've done enough for today it's your time to truly relax and now we are going to transition to lying down so when you're ready slowly make your way to lie down on your back just extend your legs all the way down and let the arms rest by your sides with your palms open upwards make sure you are cozy and comfy here,

Maybe cover yourself with a blanket and just feel the earth holding your whole body now there's nothing to do,

Nowhere else to go,

Just here and now and then as you arrive here taking full breath here with an open sigh out through the mouth feeling the back of your body slowly melting into the ground through your heels,

Your calves,

Your thighs,

Your hips your spine and the muscles alongside your spine your shoulders your arms your hands as well as your head and now imagine the earth beneath you as that warm steady stillness absorbing the weight that you don't have to carry anymore giving any physical,

Mental or emotional weight just down to the earth and if it feels good maybe even visualize the roots extending from your body into the earth like the roots of the tree,

Grounding you into peace,

Into that foundation of presence let your breath just be effortless,

Natural,

Quiet let each exhale help you soften just a little bit more and each inhale bring you just a little bit more of that nourishment and just keep resting here one with stillness,

One with peace and now imagine yourself in a space wrapped in this blanket of safety surrounded by this space of safety you can relax here beautiful,

My dear,

If you want to stay here for longer and even drift off to your sweet sleep feel free to do so otherwise just take your time to very,

Very slowly slowly move yourself to the side and then up just no rush here and you are very welcome to stay there,

Keep relaxing and connecting to that loving space within thank you so much for connecting today feel free to keep coming back to this practice whenever you need some evening self-care time this is a beautiful routine and so soothing for your nervous system thank you,

Namaste