Good evening,
My name is Hillary LaFawn and I'm here tonight to help you fall asleep,
To get the rest you deserve so that your body can rest and restore and you can feel revitalized for your day tomorrow.
Take a moment to find comfort.
Get your pillows just right,
Your sheets and your blankets.
For some of us it might feel nice to have a pillow underneath our legs,
Lying flat on our back,
Hands at our side.
For others it might feel nice to lie on your side.
And if this is your preferred way to sleep,
Maybe you put a pillow in between your legs,
One under your neck and head,
And one in your arms.
Finding comfort and stillness in the ways that you know best.
Allow your body to naturally soften and get ready for the night ahead.
Some of us may worry that if we don't get enough sleep,
We won't be able to function,
We won't be our best selves tomorrow.
Just remember that if sleep does not find you easily,
Just lying here breathing,
Resting your body,
Quieting your mind,
That is rest in itself.
So instead of chasing sleep,
See tonight's experience as just a way to feel your body with no movement and just rest.
If there's anything on your mind,
Feel free to write it down.
That way it lets your mind know that you'll take care of it another time.
Not tonight,
But another time.
Having a journal or a book by the bed can be helpful at jotting down these thoughts that might go spinning and spinning in your mind.
As you lay here in comfort,
Let's stretch out our body just a little bit to relax the muscles.
Stretching your right leg,
Pointing your toes,
Take a deep stretch and hold it,
And then release it.
Trying to stretch our body in a way in which we don't hurt ourselves,
We don't feel discomfort,
Just allowing the muscles to contract and then release.
Allow your left leg to stretch long and tense up,
Pointing the toes,
Holding it,
And relaxing it,
Releasing it,
Letting it go.
Have both legs and your toes pointed and stretched,
And also engage the stomach and the back,
Releasing the muscles,
Holding it,
And then letting it go.
Breathing as you do this.
Now we'll tense our right arm,
Our right hand,
Our stomach,
Our back,
And our legs and our feet,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Holding it,
And releasing it,
Letting all the muscles relax completely.
Now our left arm,
Our left hand,
And our lower body,
Contracting,
Tensing up the muscles,
And then releasing.
Now let's tense our face,
Squinching the eyes,
Pursing the lips,
The back,
The chest,
The arms,
The whole body,
Holding it,
And relaxing it suddenly,
Feeling your whole body soften,
Becoming settled into the bed,
Feeling your body get heavy as we embark in this relaxation experience.
Take a moment to get back into a position of comfort if you've moved since we tensed and relaxed.
Bring your awareness to your breath,
And let's focus on taking deep,
Slow belly breaths.
Breathing in our nose,
Feeling our chest expand,
Our stomach rise,
Taking in a lot of oxygen,
And then exhaling slowly and completely through the nose or out the mouth like a whisper,
Or like you're blowing out a candle.
Slow,
Complete.
Take a few more breaths like this,
Inhaling,
Feeling everything filled with oxygen,
Deep in the belly,
And then as you exhale,
Allow your body to expel the air,
No effort,
Your body knows what to do.
Try to have our exhale be just slightly longer than the inhale to really drive home that it's time to rest.
Take another breath at your leisure,
And this time as you exhale,
Let a wave of relaxation wash over you.
Feeling your head heavy in the pillow,
Your body melting into the bed.
Breathing naturally now,
Slowly,
Feeling your body being lulled to sleep or rest.
Thoughts may come and go as they naturally do.
Try to remember to stay in the present moment,
Breathing,
Feeling heavy and tired,
And satisfied with your day.
Knowing that whatever did not get accomplished today will be done another time.
Now is the time for rest and sleep,
And to think great things,
Positive things to yourself.
Be kind,
Nurture yourself,
And feeling the warmth of the bed and the soft plush pillows,
Feeling cradle safe.
Everything is okay.
Breathing deeply.
Allow yourself to melt,
Becoming part of the bed,
Feeling so comfortable,
So at peace,
Safe,
Cradled,
And cared for.
In your mind,
Visualize a beautiful landscape,
Whatever this is for you.
Maybe it's a beach,
A lake,
Or the woods.
Maybe somewhere you've been before where you were relaxed,
At peace,
And content.
Visualize yourself walking down some stairs,
Maybe to the beach,
To the lake.
And as you get to the top stair,
Take a look around,
Take a deep breath,
And feel your body getting heavier and heavier,
And sleepier and sleepier with each step down.
Breathing,
Taking the first step,
Noticing there's ten steps on these stairs.
In your mind,
You think the number ten,
And as your feet move,
You go down nine,
Feeling your body getting heavier and sleepier,
More relaxed as you get to the eighth step,
And to the seventh,
Allowing the beauty to wash over you of this place of peace.
As you go down to the sixth step,
And the fifth,
Allowing your muscles to soften,
Going down to the fourth,
And the third,
Breathing,
Settling down the second step,
And the first,
And find yourself here in your place of peace,
Feeling so relaxed,
So at ease,
Ready to rest and restore,
Allowing sleep to wash over you if it's near,
And if not,
Remembering that just this resting is enough to help restore your body.
Noticing any thoughts that aren't productive,
And just noting them,
And coming back to the breath,
Saying something kind to yourself,
It's okay sweetheart,
You're safe darling.
Enjoy the rest,
Feeling cozy and cradled in your place of peace.
If any muscles have tensed up,
Allow yourself to become even more comfortable,
And send a message to that area of relaxation.
Noticing your breath is naturally getting longer and deeper,
And you're feeling more at ease,
Breathing,
Settling.
If your mind has wandered,
Come back to the breath.
Feel your body getting heavier and heavier.
It is alright to rest.
It is alright to sleep.
It is alright to take time to heal and nurture your body.
Thank you for allowing me the precious gift of your time.
Sweet dreams.
