Releasing Worry Before Sleep

Prepare yourself for sleep as you release worry and quiet an overactive mind through this short sophrology-inspired guided practice, combining breathwork with gentle muscle relaxation.

Settle into bed and let yourself be guided through two simple releasing exercises. First, release any lingering physical tension held in your body. Then, using that same breath and contraction, gather up and release whatever your mind has brought along tonight: any thoughts, worries, unfinished business, or anything else it's holding onto.

This bedtime meditation is for anyone who struggles to switch off at night, has a racing mind, experiences stress, anxiety, or insomnia, or simply needs help calming their thoughts before sleep. Please note: Because this practice is designed for sleep, do not listen while driving or operating machinery. Additionally, this track is not a replacement for professional medical care.

Music: Letting Go Of The Day, Hanna Lindgren (Epidemic Sound)

Transcript

Welcome and thank you for joining me as you release worry so that you can soften into sleep. I'm Marianne DeCleer. So maybe you are already in bed, So if that is the case, Take some time to get into a comfortable position lying down. And if not, Perhaps pause this until you are in a comfortable lying down position. And when you are ready, I invite you to gently close your eyes. Give yourself permission to stop. To rest. To let the day be over. Perhaps your mind is still active tonight. There may be thoughts that want your attention. Simply notice that without judgment. And know that you are here now. In your body. In this moment. In this stillness. Begin to bring your attention to your breath. Notice the air as it enters through your nostrils. Its temperature. Its movement. Follow it as it travels down into your chest and belly. And follow it back out again. Notice this breath. Notice the sensations of movement related to your breath. The gentle rise and fall of the belly. The ribcage calmly opening and closing. And feel the weight of your head against the pillow. The heaviness of it. The way it is completely supported. You don't need to hold it up. And you can let it go. Feel your shoulders relaxing. Your arms and hands softening. Notice any places that are still holding and simply breathe into them. Not forcing anything. Noticing. Allowing the release. Scan down through your belly, Your back. Your hips. Buttocks. Your legs and your feet. Notice how your body already knows how to rest. It's already doing it. And your mind can follow. We're now going to release any lingering physical tensions with a full body contraction linked to your breath. So take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold your breath and gently contract your whole body from your head and face all the way through your arms, Hands, Torso, Down to your feet. Hold for just a moment and then exhale, Releasing everything. Let it all go. Feel the space where tension used to live. Softer. More open. Freer. Feel the sensations of release. We're going to do the same thing once again. This time as you contract, I invite you to gather up whatever your mind has brought along tonight. Any thoughts, Any unfinished business, Anything that feels unresolved. You don't need to name them or look at them closely. Just gather them. Gently as you contract. So take a deep breath in through your nose. Then hold the breath and contract your whole body. Gather up what your mind is holding. Hold for just a moment. And exhale, Let it all go. Allow them to fall away even further with every exhale. Feel the quiet that is arriving in you. Around you. Welcome it. Your body is soft and heavy now. Your mind is settling. With each breath, Drift a little further from the day. Each exhale carrying you deeper into rest. Be here in this breath. Feel this quiet darkness. Let sleep find you here. Gently. Naturally. In its own time. Soften into the night. You