So you're awake and you'd rather be asleep.
That can be frustrating and quite stressful,
Especially if your mind is predicting how awful tomorrow will be if you don't get back to sleep soon.
When you're tired and wired,
Such thoughts can be very convincing and they make falling asleep much harder than it needs to be.
So,
Just for now,
Let's try something different.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and sigh it out through the mouth.
Once again,
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
And one final time,
With a little less effort,
Breathing in and out.
And here's something important to consider.
Everyone,
Even the very best of sleepers,
Wakes up during the night.
Some roll over and go straight back to sleep.
Some don't even remember waking up.
Many take 5 to 20 minutes to fall back to sleep.
And for some,
Falling asleep feels impossible.
The key,
However,
Is not how quickly you fall back asleep or even whether you fall asleep at all.
It's what you think and do whilst awake.
You can fret and worry,
Or you can simply enjoy the opportunity to rest peacefully.
So,
Just for now,
Let's try that second option.
You might say to yourself,
I'm wide awake.
I'd like to be asleep,
But I'm not going to worry too much about that for now.
I'm going to use this time to meditate,
Knowing that I can relax my body and calm my mind deeply,
Even while awake,
And that by doing so,
I'm more likely to fall asleep.
As we begin,
Allow yourself a yawn or two.
Open your mouth wide,
Breathe out,
And feel the jaw open up and release as you do.
Also,
Take a few moments to find a comfy position.
Appreciate how cosy it feels to be in bed.
The softness of the mattress and pillow.
The comforting weight of the sheets and covers.
And if you're too warm or too cool,
Make the necessary adjustments.
Now,
With your eyes open,
Take a few moments to acknowledge what you can see.
Maybe the ceiling.
Maybe dim shapes and patterns.
Maybe pitch black.
Let your eyes take in the darkness.
The softness of the night.
And just enjoy looking around for a few moments.
Then gently give your attention to the soundscape.
Perhaps it's silent where you are.
Perhaps you can hear distant traffic.
Just let the soundscape register momentarily.
Not trying to change it.
Just allowing it to be there,
Like the sound of waves on the beach.
Now imagine your eyes becoming heavier.
The eyelids wanting to close.
But leave them open.
Just for a few seconds.
And allow them to slowly descend.
And notice what you see and feel on the back of the eyelids.
Maybe shapes and patterns.
Areas of light and dark.
After images or places that glow.
Just watch.
And begin to focus more on the areas of darkness.
Allowing them to slowly grow.
And stay with that for a while.
Just watching as things shift and change.
Your mind may be impatient.
For sleep.
It might say,
What's the point of all this?
This isn't working.
And if it does,
Just say,
Thanks mind,
I know.
And remind yourself that minds aren't at their best in the early hours.
They're probably not going to offer their finest suggestions.
So if you find yourself working on a to-do list,
Or a long list of worries,
Or wondering why you're still awake,
Just say,
It's understandable that my mind would think this way.
It wants sleep as much as I do.
You don't need to tell it off,
Or argue with it,
Or shut it down.
Just treat it like a crying child.
Imagine holding it.
Perhaps gently rocking it from side to side.
Maybe offering some reassuring words or sounds.
And notice how the body responds when you imagine that.
Notice how the breath softens.
How the shoulders loosen,
Just a little.
And the way the mind settles when it feels held,
Rather than argued with.
Appreciate how the body relaxes,
When you don't turn wakefulness into a problem.
When you don't try so hard to make it work.
When you don't try so hard to make sleep happen.
And when you just allow yourself to experience this moment as it is.
Now bring your attention to the weight of your body.
Feel how the mattress accommodates that weight.
How the pillow supports your head.
How the sheets and covers create a gentle cocoon around you.
Let yourself enjoy those simple comforts.
And notice the places where your body already feels relaxed.
Maybe the hands.
The feet.
Or the belly.
Let those relaxed places set the tone for the rest of your body.
Now sense the breath again.
Feel the flow of air in and out of the nostrils.
And stay with it for a few moments.
Then notice the contact made between your upper and lower lip.
The gentle oscillation of the spine as you breathe.
And let your out breath lengthen a touch.
The way a sigh naturally does.
Not forced.
Just a gentle softening.
And if thoughts return,
Which they probably will,
Treat them like a child tugging at your sleeve.
You don't need to snap or scold.
You can simply say,
I hear you.
I value your input.
Let's rest now.
We can solve stuff tomorrow.
Let those thoughts hear the kindness in your response.
Now bring your attention to the forehead.
Let it be smooth.
Let the space around your eyes soften.
Let the jaw loosen.
Let the tongue rest.
Feel how the whole face can begin to settle.
As though your expression was softening.
Then let your awareness drift down through the neck.
The shoulders.
The arms.
As though you were slowly dimming the lights in each part of the body.
No rush.
Just a gradual quietening.
And if you notice any tension,
That's no cause for alarm.
Just let it be there.
It may well gradually melt away if you don't resist.
Now sense the heaviness of the legs.
Imagine that they feel toasty warm.
And let the entire lower half of your body rest.
As though it were already asleep.
As though it had nothing to do.
And it could just drift off.
Your legs like a pair of logs.
Heavy and still.
And let that heaviness spread upwards.
Like a slow warm tide.
Through the hips.
The belly.
The chest.
Until the whole body feels a little heavier.
A little quieter.
A little more at ease.
Not making any effort to fall asleep.
Just resting.
Resting as though you were lying in the shade of a tree on a fine spring day.
Trusting that the body remembers how to sleep.
Knowing that ultimately sleep is inevitable.
Knowing that it comes when the body feels safe.
So your job is just to support that sense of safety.
By staying patient.
By remembering that there's no rush.
You can just be here with your body and mind.
Like a parent sitting by a child.
Offering gentle reassurance.
A simple warm presence.
Let your breath be easy.
Just a soft exhale.
And then another.
Letting the body breathe in whatever way it wants.
And if your mind wants something to do.
Let it breathe.
Let it notice the moment the out breath ends.
That tiny pause.
Or you could scan your body.
Letting your attention move from part to part to keep the mind occupied.
Let's do that now.
Notice the sensations in your fingertips.
And let's touch upon each fingertip in turn.
The tip of your right thumb.
And the left.
The tip of your right index finger.
The tip of your right thumb.
The tip of your right middle finger.
And the left.
The tip of your right ring finger.
And the left.
The tip of your right little finger.
And the left.
Your right palm.
The back of your right hand.
And the left.
Your right wrist.
And the left.
And the left.
And the left.
Your right shoulder.
And the left.
A point at the centre of your chest.
A point just below and behind the belly button.
Your lower back.
Your hips.
Your right knee.
And the left.
Your right heel.
And the left.
Your right ankle.
And the left.
Your right big toe.
Your second toe on the right.
And the left.
The middle toe on the right.
And the left.
Your fourth toe on the right.
And the left.
Your fifth toe on the right.
Your little toe on the right.
And the left.
Both feet resting.
Your feet and legs lying like children tucked safely in bed.
Your feet,
Legs and hips.
Warm and cosy.
Your whole body.
As though every muscle had switched off and gone to sleep.
And you can let your attention soften.
Like a light dimming in a quiet room.
And if you're still awake,
Remind yourself that maintaining a patient accepting attitude is the most useful thing you can do.
Knowing that it's possible to rest very deeply even while you're awake.
And you may well drift off when you least expect it.
And because the mind can sometimes rebel,
You can choose to start this practice again from the beginning if you need to.
Choosing the support of a guide is a wise thing to do at such times.
I will leave you with that thought.
Hoping that you didn't hear it or don't hear it again.
