Welcome to Unwinding Before Sleep.
I'm Marianne DeCleer,
And thank you for joining me here at the end of your day.
In this calming practice,
You'll relax the body and mind,
Release any lingering physical,
Mental,
Or emotional tensions from your body,
And allow the day to melt away as you prepare to go to sleep.
Start by taking a moment to get into a comfortable position,
Lying down.
Maybe you're already in bed.
Stretch out your legs and relax your arms in a way that feels good for you.
This is your time to unwind before bed,
And simply let go so that you can relax and slide into a deep,
Restorative sleep.
Take this time for yourself.
Let's settle in.
Take a moment to observe the space around you.
And then close your eyes.
With your eyes closed,
Allow your body to relax.
Become aware of the shape of your head relaxed.
Become aware of the shape of your neck,
Shoulders,
Arms,
And hands relaxed.
Become aware of the shape of your back,
Chest,
And belly relaxed.
Become aware of the shape of your pelvis,
Buttocks,
Legs,
And feet relaxed.
Become aware of the shape of your entire body relaxed.
I now invite you to release any lingering tensions with a short series of guided breaths combined with some gentle muscle contractions.
So first,
A little explanation,
And then I'll guide you through it.
Here's the explanation.
In a moment,
You'll take a deep breath in through your nose,
And then while you briefly hold your breath,
You'll gently contract all the muscles in your whole body,
And then exhale loudly through your mouth to let go and relax.
You'll do this three times.
I'll guide you the first two times,
And then you can do the last one at your own speed.
Begin by exhaling gently through your mouth to prepare,
Then inhale through your nose,
Hold your breath,
Lightly contract all the muscles in your whole body,
And then exhale loudly through your mouth to completely release everything.
Take a normal breath,
And take a moment to welcome the feelings of release.
Repeat this a second time.
First,
Exhale through the mouth,
Then inhale deeply through your nose,
First exhale through the mouth,
Then inhale deeply through your nose,
Hold your breath,
Gently contract your whole body to whatever degree you want,
Then exhale loudly through your mouth to relax everything.
Pause and observe the sensations of release and relaxation.
Do this a third time at your own speed,
However you want to do it.
It can be with more or less muscle contraction,
More or less breath.
Do what feels right in the moment.
When you're done,
Take a normal breath,
Allow yourself to yawn or sigh,
And let your breath naturally continue to release tension and let go.
Become aware of the peace and calm settling into your body.
It's the end of the day.
There's nothing more you need to do right now.
The day is over and it's time to completely let go.
Let go of any events or undone tasks.
Let go of any worries or feelings of stress or overwhelm.
Let go of any self-criticism or judgment.
I invite you to allow the day and all its contents to melt away.
Begin connecting to your breath and listen to the sound of the air as it enters your nostrils on the inhale and as it exits your nose on the exhale.
Feel the cool air around your nostrils on the inhale and the warm air on the exhale.
There's no need to control your breath here.
Simply observe the gentle inhale and exhale,
Both of which are calm and regular.
Continue to observe your inhale and exhale for a few breaths.
Now add in the intention of breathing in peace and calm on the inhale and exhaling out the weight of the day,
Any events or tasks that may have created tension.
If you like,
You can exhale through your nose,
Your mouth,
Whatever you feel like doing.
So inhale peace and calm.
Exhale out the weight of the day.
Inhale peace and calm.
Exhale out the weight of the day.
Allow your breath to melt away.
Allow your breath to come and go.
Feel the rise and fall of your belly in connection to your breath.
Notice the calm and regular movement of your belly.
As you continue to breathe,
Notice the feelings and sensations of peace and relaxation washing over your whole body.
I now invite you to bring your attention to your mind.
Picture it as a calm,
Clear space.
If there are any thoughts that come up,
That's perfectly natural and okay.
Acknowledge the thoughts.
Then imagine gently placing them into a bubble and watch as the bubble floats away,
Taking the thought with it until it disappears.
Maybe you can help it along with your exhale.
Each time the thought leaves,
Feel your mind becoming quieter,
More serene.
Come back to your breath.
Inhale calmness and peace.
Exhale to let go.
Feel the soothing and nurturing capabilities of your breath.
Notice how your energy is changing as you observe your breath.
Now tap into the sensation of the bed beneath you.
Fully supporting your weight.
Feel the heaviness of your body on the mattress.
Notice the weight of your head on the pillow.
Feel your neck and shoulders relaxing and the weight of your arms and legs.
Notice the weight of your torso,
Pelvis,
Legs and feet right down to your toes.
Your entire body is heavy and deeply relaxed.
Feel the weight of your hands and feet Imagine you're sinking deeper into the mattress.
The bed is gently supporting and cradling you,
Holding you in complete comfort and safety.
Welcome the quiet.
Appreciate the stillness of your mind.
Embrace the silence.
Allow yourself to drift off as your body becomes even heavier,
Pulling you down into a deep restorative sleep.
With your body heavy and your mind clear,
Feel yourself gently drifting.
Each breath takes you into deeper relaxation.
Let go entirely.
Knowing that you are ready to rest,
To sleep deeply and peacefully until morning.
You're feeling completely relaxed and comfortable.
Allow yourself to drift off when you're ready,
Releasing and melting into sleep.
Relaxing.
Feeling the heaviness of your body on the mattress.
Feeling the heaviness of your body on the mattress.
Sinking in.
Feeling peaceful and secure.
And falling sound asleep.
