Preparing For Sleep

As you wind down from the day and get into bed,

Take a few moments to allow yourself to get comfortable.

Adjust the pillows supporting your head.

Snuggle a little deeper underneath the covers and blankets and bed clothing.

I invite you to start this meditation by inhaling deeply and introducing as much tension as you possibly can into your body.

So scrunching up the face,

Balling up your fist,

Tightening the abdomen,

Just squeeze as tight as you can,

Hold and then exhale.

Release completely.

Softening all of your muscles and allowing yourself to find complete ease.

Begin to pull away from the external world.

Leave all of the stresses from the day behind you.

All of the things that you've yet to complete can wait until tomorrow.

Just allow yourself to settle into this moment as you prepare for sleep.

With your body comfortably supported and cocooned within the bedclothes and sheets,

Notice your body becoming lighter and more free.

The breath begins to slow.

Observe the rise and fall of the belly,

Ribs and chest.

Perhaps you begin to lengthen your exhalations a counter two longer than the time it takes you to inhale.

The heart begins to slow.

The mind is given permission to quiet.

And you feel your body preparing to drift off to sleep.

With every inhale you notice more space and ease being created.

And with every exhale you notice the body growing heavier.

Continuing to release and sink slowly into the bed beneath you.

If the mind starts to wander,

Just simply return to the sound of my voice.

Know that it's okay to give yourself permission to rest.

Know and understand that you've completed your assignment for this day and you deserve the reward of a peaceful night's sleep.

I will now begin to call out different areas of the body.

I simply want you to visualize and feel these areas drifting off to sleep with every exhale.

Bring your awareness to your feet.

Notice the toes,

The soles of the feet,

The tops of the feet,

The ankles.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of your body.

And as you exhale,

Allow your feet to drift off to sleep.

Your awareness moves up to your legs.

Notice the calf,

Shin,

Knee,

Front of the thighs and back of the thighs.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of your body.

As you exhale,

Allow your legs to drift off to sleep.

Bring your awareness to your hips and glutes.

Notice more grounding in this area.

Allow yourself to soften here.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area.

And as you exhale,

Allow your hips to drift off to sleep.

Bring your awareness to your torso.

Notice the abdomen,

Ribs,

Chest,

Back and sides of the body.

Observe the breath moving here,

Softening and slowing everything down.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of the body.

As you exhale,

Allow your torso to drift off to sleep.

Become aware of your arms,

Taking inventory of the shoulders,

Upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm.

Finding softness in this space.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of your body.

As you exhale,

Allow your arms to drift off to sleep.

Allow your awareness to arrive to your hands.

Focusing the fingers,

Palms of the hands,

The tops of the hands,

And your wrist.

Relax in this space.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of your body.

As you exhale,

Allow your hands to drift off to sleep.

Lift your awareness to your face.

Notice the muscles between the eyebrows and the muscles supporting the jaw begin to relax.

Find more and more ease with every breath.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming to this area of your body.

As you exhale,

Allow your face to drift off to sleep.

Finally,

Your awareness moves up to your mind.

Notice if your mind is still holding on to anything from your day.

Let it go.

Begin to breathe in peace and calming here in this moment.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.

And as you exhale,

Allow your mind to drift off to sleep.