Welcome to this meditation,
One that is designed to support people who are active worriers at night.
You might find it difficult to get to sleep at bedtime,
Or you might wake during the night with a busy mind and find it difficult to get back to sleep.
Worries usually relate to something that has happened in the past,
Or that might happen in the future.
Worrying is a useful,
Natural and important process that everyone does,
To turn experiences over in your mind in order to try to make sense of them,
Or to plan for the future.
However,
If that thinking process takes over,
And you sink into endless,
Looped rumination,
This can really interfere with a good night's sleep.
If this happens regularly,
Then that rumination can stop your body from relaxing and allowing the deep rest,
Which is a vital part of your wellbeing.
Also,
The more often that this happens,
The more likely it is that it will have a greater impact on your sleep routine.
In this meditation,
You will give yourself permission to place the burden of your worries down for the night,
With the intention that you will not pick them up again until the morning.
Begin by taking a comfortable position in your bed,
Either sitting up or lying down.
If you choose to sit up for this meditation,
Then bring some length to your spine and draw your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Let your hands rest in your lap.
If you are lying on your back for this meditation,
Then let your arms rest comfortably by your sides.
Let your feet drop away from one another.
And take a nice,
Long,
Deep breath.
Settle into your chosen position.
And when you're ready,
If you haven't done so already,
Gently close your eyes.
Bring some awareness to your senses.
Notice any sounds you can hear,
Either in your bedroom or beyond.
Notice what you can see through your closed lids.
And bring some awareness to any taste sensations in your mouth.
Tune in to how your body is feeling tonight.
Notice the points of contact it is making with your bed,
The temperature of your skin,
And the weight of your clothing or the covers.
Observe any tension that your body might be holding.
Loosen your jaw.
Your shoulders.
Your hips.
And your ankles.
Allow your breath to flow with ease into your body.
And notice where you're aware of the air entering your body and leaving again.
It might be at your nostrils.
Or it might be in the rise and the fall of your chest or stomach.
Stay with your breath here,
Wherever you noticed it most.
And allow it to flow in and out again with your own natural rhythm.
Now bring your awareness to the broad concept of your worries.
There's no need to dive into what they are,
But let your mind rest simply on the knowledge that they exist.
You might like to visualise the idea of your worries as a list that you've written down by hand or typed out on a piece of paper.
Take a moment to give your mind permission to download everything that is on your mind onto that list.
It might be a short list.
It might even only have one thing on it.
Or it might be a long list.
With each inhale and exhale of your breath,
Release whatever is on your mind onto that list.
Every big worry and every small worry.
This is a private list that is just for you,
So you can let all of your thoughts out safely.
Now visualise placing your list in a safe box next to your bed.
It is not possible for anyone else to access this box.
It is only you who can access its contents.
And know that once your list is in that box,
It is safe for the night.
The list will be there for you tomorrow when you wake.
So now spend a few moments with your breath,
Noticing it in your body and allowing yourself the opportunity to let go,
Just for the night,
Of the burden of the worries that you carry with you.
Notice if you feel any sense of lightness or relief in that letting go.
Because for now,
For tonight,
That box is going to safely hold every worry that has been keeping your mind busy.
You can use it to free your mind to rest through the night and to allow your sleep to restore and replenish your body and your mind,
So that you can surrender to a deep and satisfying rest.
When you're ready,
Settle into your sleep position for the night.
Thank you for using this meditation tonight.
Please come back to it each night or whenever you need it and use it to build a new habit to manage your stress and activate your parasympathetic nervous system or your rest and digest system.
It's a simple way to make a healthy difference to your sleep cycle and to set yourself up for a better day tomorrow.
Good night and sleep well.
