Breathe Yourself To Sleep Every Night - Monday

Breathe yourself to sleep every night with this relaxing breath meditation. After the commentary, there is around 15 minutes of ocean waves, giving you plenty of time to naturally drift off to sleep. One of a series of seven 'Breathe yourself to sleep' meditations.

Transcript

Okay so this is a breath-centred mindfulness meditation to help us deeply relax in mind and body and to get the mind and body in the best possible state that makes sleep more likely.

So we're not going to be trying to fall asleep but create the optimum conditions by using the breath where sleep is more likely to happen.

And even if sleep doesn't happen we'll at least be a lot more relaxed.

So if you want to begin by taking in a slightly deeper breath than normal.

If it's comfortable breathing through the nose.

And ideally taking that breath into the base of the lungs.

So using the diaphragm feeling the belly rise as you breathe in.

Choose a speed and depth of breath that feels comfortable for you now.

And the aim will be during the breath practice to gradually lengthen and slow the in-breath.

But we can do that gradually,

There's no rush,

You don't need to take a really big deep in-breath at the beginning.

Just have that intention to eventually end up with a nice long deep and slow in-breath.

And for the out-breath it can be a very natural relaxed release of the breath.

With maybe just a little effort at the end of the natural breath,

Maybe just to breathe out just a little bit more.

So just gently pushing out a little extra breath at the end of the out-breath,

At the end of the release of the breath.

Releasing natural out-breath and then just a little extra emptying of the breath at the end.

A little extra push right at the end of the exhale that will make the next in-breath a lot easier and slightly deeper.

Because the body will be primed and ready to take in a slightly deeper in-breath to match the out-breath.

So being aware of the exhale,

Feeling the out-breath,

Feeling the breath leaving the body.

And then just as the natural release of breath comes to a natural end,

Just gently pushing out just a little more breath.

And then going straight into a nice long deep but slow in-breath.

So each time you breathe in,

Here's a reminder of our intention to be more present,

To be more present with the body,

To really feel the breath in the body.

The more grounded we become in the body and the more aware of the sensations of the body,

The easier it will be for the body to begin to relax.

And this will help us drift into sleep later on.

So with each slow long deep in-breath,

Gently bringing awareness,

A gentle soft awareness into the body.

So gently with awareness bringing breath and soft awareness into the body with each in-breath.

Gradually allowing that in-breath to become longer,

Deeper and slower.

And releasing,

Relaxing,

Letting go of the out-breath,

A natural exhale.

And then at the conclusion of that natural release of the breath,

Just pushing out gently a little more breath.

So let's spend a few moments now just paying attention to this breath and seeing if we can establish it as a.

.

.

So it feels like a natural habitual breath that's not going to take too much effort to maintain.

It's worth paying that extra attention and effort at the beginning.

And once we establish this breath,

It can continue to do the work of relaxing the mind and body and preparing us to drift into sleep.

Not making any effort to try and fall asleep,

Just paying a gentle attention to this breath.

Long,

Deep,

Slow in-breath,

Starting with the diaphragm with the belly-breath.

Really feeling the breath enter the body,

Feeling a gentle awareness also enter the body.

Feeling a softness in the body,

Softness of breath,

Softness of awareness.

Softness and lightness,

Filling the body with each long,

Deep,

Slow in-breath.

Dashing.

.

.

And if it feels comfortable,

To continue with that little extra push of breath out at the end of the released relaxed out breath.

This helps gradually deepen the in-breath in a natural way.

And the more fully we release,

Relax and let go of that out-breath,

The more the body will naturally and more deeply relax.

An optional extra little technique we can add on to the breath which may make it even more relaxing and more likely to help me drift into sleep is to add a sound to the breath.

One way you can do this is just to make the out-breath into a sigh.

So maybe breathing out with the mouth and sighing the out-breath.

Another way to do this where we can make a relaxing sound with the in-breath and the out-breath is just to very gently constrict the throat.

So you're restricting the passage of the breath ever so slightly through the throat.

So I'll exaggerate that a little to demonstrate now.

So if you want to try that to create that sound.

So without overthinking it,

Just seeing if the body can respond to slightly restrict the breath to create that sound.

If not,

Don't worry,

You can just use the sighing technique or just to continue with the breath as it was without added sound.

The added sound to the breath can act like a subtle mantra,

Can help relax the mind as the added sound can make the breath feel and sound like the rising and falling of waves on the shore.

It can also really help to relax the mind.

So that's it for theitzou fuck.

So continuing with your nice long slow deep in-breath starting with the diaphragm and belly breath.

And simply releasing letting go relaxing the out-breath like a sigh.

So as we allow this deep long slow soft gentle light breath to continue.

Doing all the work for us of relaxing the body preparing it for sleep.

What can we do with our thoughts and our minds as the body starts to relax?

I'd recommend avoid trying to do anything with your thoughts don't try and slow them relax them and stop them don't try and think relaxed or positive thoughts.

Because then you'll be engaging with the mind and battling with your thoughts trying to change them making effort.

This can add tension to the mind and add expectation.

So much better in my experience just to allow your thoughts to be exactly as they are allow them to flow freely through the mind.

Using the same dynamic of our breath for our thoughts.

Allowing the thoughts into the body with the same gentle soft and light awareness that we are allowing the breath into the body.

And releasing letting go all of the thoughts just as we release and let go of each out-breath.

So allowing a natural rise and fall a natural flow of thoughts mirroring the natural flow and rise and fall of the breath.

Allowing your thoughts to flow freely just as you feel and allow the breath in the body to flow freely.

Relaxing this lightness and softness in the mind and the body with the thoughts and the breath.

So allowing this breath to continue nice deep slow long in-breath and a relaxed release out-breath.

Feeling that gentle soft light awareness in the body as you breathe in.

Feeling that release and relaxation in the body each time you let go of the breath.

The rise and fall of the breath relaxing body and mind naturally and effortlessly.

The breath like a wave.

Relaxing this lightness and softness in the mind and the body with the thoughts and the breath.

Allowing your thoughts to rise and fall and flow just as naturally and effortlessly through the mind as the breath through the body.

Allow the mind and the body to float and drift on the wave of the breath.

Relaxing this lightness and softness in the mind and the body with the thoughts and the breath.

You

Reviews

This meditation made me feel so relaxed and calm. The flow of my breathing in and out allowed me to stay in the present moment. I am feeling extremely peaceful inside. The guidance given by Stephen was so soft and gentle - just pure freedom and stillnessness space created, to help me sleep like a baby😴. Thank you so much Stephen 🙏🏻✨🧘‍♂️💚🤗