In order to get to sleep,
You have to stop trying to get to sleep.
Sleep isn't anything that you can get to.
It's not a destination.
It's not something or somewhere that you're struggling towards.
Sleep is a natural function of your body.
Sleep is necessary to renew you,
To repair you,
To give you the rest and the relaxation that you need.
Trying to get to sleep is one of the problems that many of us find affecting our attempts to sleep.
Trying to get to sleep is something that you need to let go of.
It's a function of the mind to focus on striving to get to sleep.
The body knows where it needs.
The body knows how to sleep.
So we have to get out of our minds and into our bodies.
You have to get out of your mind and into your body.
So before going to bed,
You need to wind down.
You need to put aside any tasks that are very focused on the activity of your mind.
Put screens away.
Turn the television off.
Do something that allows for you just to begin that process of relaxing,
So that as you get to your bed you're already beginning to give yourself permission to leave everything else behind as you get into that bed.
So whatever is in your mind,
Whatever is on your mind,
You let it go.
And you bring your attention and all of your focus into your body.
And one of the best ways to do this is to focus on your breathing.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
And as you focus on that simple rhythm of breathing,
Any thoughts that arise in your mind,
Let them go.
Don't allow your attention to be drawn away into those thoughts,
But instead bring your attention right back to your body and to your breathing.
And notice that as you do that,
You begin already to feel more relaxed.
You feel that sense of tiredness begin to wrap itself around you.
And your body begins to relax.
And a sure way of being able to recognize this is just to feel that weight of relaxation as your muscles relax,
As you let that tension go.
Often a good place to start is just around the eyes,
So that you let your eyelids get heavy.
And if they're not closed already,
You close your eyes and allow that heaviness to spread gently through your face,
Down into your neck and shoulders.
And before you realize it,
You find that your body is just giving in,
Finding its own level.
And your body knows how to relax.
And so you just let your body do the work,
While you drift away into sleep.
There's nothing more difficult than that.
There's no magic.
There's no secret to this.
It's just a case of getting out of your mind,
Bringing your focus into your body,
To learn from your body how to let go,
And let sleep come to you.
So now,
As the music continues,
Allow yourself to relax.
And the words that you hear and the sounds that you hear are specifically designed to draw you away from your thoughts and bring you into a deep,
Deeper sense of stillness and relaxation.
And you'll allow yourself to fall into a deep sleep.
