Getting Ready For Restful Sleep Meditation

This short meditation is great for getting your body ready for restorative sleep. It includes some embodied visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, and ends with 4 7 8 breathing. This practice is meant to help relax your body and activate your parasympathetic nervous system to aid your body into a peaceful rest.

Transcript

Let's start by making sure our body is comfortable, Getting into a position where you can let go of any tension and fully rest your body in your bed. Close your eyes and remind yourself of something that makes you feel safe. Maybe you live in a home with locked doors. Maybe someone you care about is nearby. Maybe you have a phone near you. Just bring to mind something that makes you feel safe and see if you can feel that sense of safety in your body. See if the sense can permeate you and relax you. Call a time in the day you felt grateful for. Maybe you had a moment of connection with someone you cared about. Sense the feelings of gratitude in your body. Maybe you notice your breath deepens or you have a greater sense of ease. Now let's sense something you're excited about for your future. See if you can visualize it in your mind. It's okay if the image isn't clear. Again, Sense through your body your gratitude for what you might look forward to. Really savoring any sensations that this gratitude brings up. Let's bring further peace to our body through some progressive relaxation. See if you can relax your feet. Let go of any tension in your ankles. Bring a sense of ease to your knees. Release any tension in your thighs, In your hips, Lower back. Relax the stomach. Let go of any tension in your mid-back, In your sternum. Release your arms and hands. Relax your neck. Relax your jaw, The sides of your eyes, Your eyebrows, And bring a sense of ease to your forehead and the top of your head. We'll further relax using the 4-7-8 rhythm. If at any point you feel ready, You can let go of the rhythm and fall asleep. We'll inhale for 4, Hold for 7, And we'll exhale through the mouth for 8. If it helps you relax further, You can imagine you're breathing through your heart center. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 4, Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. Inhale for 8.