Welcome to this guided meditation.
If you're listening to this in the middle of the night,
Unable to fall back asleep,
Know that there is nothing you need to fix right now.
You don't need to force sleep.
Your only job is to rest.
Sleep is something that happens naturally,
When the body feels safe enough to let go.
Tonight,
We're going to help your body remember that feeling.
We'll use a simple breathing technique.
Inhaling for 4,
Holding for 4,
Exhaling for 8,
Holding for 2 and repeat.
The long exhale is especially important.
When you exhale slowly,
You activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
The part of your nervous system responsible for rest,
Digestion,
Healing,
And sleep.
It sends a message throughout your body that there is no emergency,
Nothing to solve,
Nowhere to go.
These long exhales stimulate the vagus nerve,
Which is one of the body's most important pathways for activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
As this system becomes more active,
Your body naturally shifts away from alertness and towards restoration.
Your heart rate can slow,
Your muscles can soften.
Your thoughts can become quieter and sleep can return naturally.
You don't need to monitor whether it's working.
You don't need to check how awake you are.
You simply breathe.
And if thoughts come,
That's okay.
Thoughts are not a problem.
Let them drift through like clouds while you return your attention to the breath.
Let's begin.
Gently inhale through your nose 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Now slowly exhale 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Again Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6,
7,
8 Pause 2 Inhale 2,
3,
4 Hold 2,
3,
4 Exhale slowly 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8 Pause 2 Inhale 2,
3,
Hold.
Exhale slowly.
Pause.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale slowly.
3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale slowly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pause 2 Now allow your breathing to go back to its natural pace without controlling it,
Without counting it.
You do not need to make sleep happen.
You only need to create the conditions that allow it to arrive.
Feel the weight of your body supported beneath you.
Notice the places where your body is already resting.
Where your head is resting.
Where your shoulders are resting.
Where your jaw is resting.
Where your tongue rests softly in your mouth.
Where your hands are resting.
Where your legs are resting.
Nothing is being asked of you right now.
There are no decisions to make.
No problems to solve.
The night is not asking you to think.
It is only inviting you to rest.
And allow sleep to find you when it's ready.
May you fall back asleep and have a restful night.
Thank you for meditating with me.
