You've woken in the night,
Clenching or grinding your teeth,
And now you're going to fall back asleep with a completely relaxed jaw.
Take a moment to get back into a really comfortable position in your bed.
Adjust your pillow,
Your blankets.
Stretch your mouth into an extravagant yawn if that feels good.
If it's safe and comfortable,
Wriggle your lower jaw from side to side a little.
And then gently close your lips,
Leaving a small gap between your top and bottom teeth.
Rest the tip of your tongue on your upper palate,
Just behind your top front teeth.
Breathe in through your nose,
Gently,
And feel your belly rise.
Pause and then breathe out a long,
Slow breath through your nose.
Keep breathing steadily,
Gently,
As you listen to my voice and drift back into sleep.
Put your attention to the crown of your head.
Imagine the skin of your scalp relaxing,
Softening,
Spreading.
Feel the hairs in their follicles flopping down as they let go,
So relaxed.
Feel that relaxation flowing down from your crown to your ears,
And feel the muscles around your ears loosening,
Letting go,
And the skin and cartilage of your earlobes relaxing,
Growing heavy and soft.
Feel that relaxation flowing over your forehead,
The skin and muscles of your forehead relaxing,
And softening,
And smoothing.
Feel that relaxation flowing around your eyes,
The muscles of your eyes softening and letting go,
The skin around your eyes smoothing and spreading,
Your eyeballs growing heavy.
Feel the relaxation flowing to your nose,
The skin and muscles and cartilage of your nose,
Your nostrils all relaxing,
Softening,
Spreading,
Growing heavy and soft,
So that your breathing is effortless.
Feel the relaxation flowing to your cheeks,
The muscles and skin of your cheeks softening,
Spreading.
Feel that relaxation flow into your chin,
Your chin softening as the muscles let go,
The skin smoothing.
Feel the relaxation flowing over your lips,
Your lips softening and relaxing,
Smoothing,
Letting go.
Feel the relaxation flow inside your lips,
The soft smooth inner lips growing softer and smoother,
Relaxing,
Loosening,
Heavy.
Feel the inside of your cheeks relaxing now,
Soft and heavy,
Smooth and spreading,
Letting go of all the tension inside your mouth.
Feel that relaxation flowing to the top of your mouth,
Your upper palate is relaxing,
The cartilage there is spreading,
The membrane is softening.
The top of your mouth is so relaxed and loose,
Letting go.
Feel that relaxation flowing over your tongue,
Your tongue growing soft and heavy.
Feel your tongue spreading out as the muscles release as you let go of all tension.
Feel the underneath of your mouth,
Your lower palate relaxing,
Softening,
Spreading,
Letting go.
Feel the hinges in the back of your mouth relaxing as the thermomandibular joint connecting upper and lower jaws lets go and melts into soft,
Loose relaxation.
Feel the muscles wrapping around your jaws,
Soften and relax,
Those powerful muscles are letting go.
Feel relaxation flow around the beautiful strong arch of your lower jaw,
You can feel the jaw muscles softening,
The nerves in your jaw letting go,
Your jawbones growing heavy.
Feel the curve of your upper jaw mirroring the relaxation of your lower jaw,
Spreading out in complete relaxation so that your whole jaw is loose and soft and relaxed.
You are drifting into sleep with your jaw so relaxed that it will stay soft all night long.
Relax,
Relax,
Relax,
Relax,
Be in peace,
Gentle,
Comfortable sleep.
You
