Welcome to ADHD Sleep for Tired Bodies and Busy Minds.
Let's name what's real before we settle in.
You're tired.
Your body wants sleep.
But your brain is still active.
Maybe it's replaying things.
It's holding leftover tension and hasn't shifted into sleep mode yet.
This is a common ADHD pattern,
Especially at bedtime.
Your mind keeps working long after your day is over.
Your muscles stay tense.
Your nervous system stays alert,
Even when nothing else needs to be done for the day.
None of this means you're doing anything wrong.
Your body and brain just need a slower,
Clearer transition into sleep.
This practice helps you move out of the day and into the state where sleep becomes possible.
We're giving your nervous system a path it can recognize.
Take a slow breath in and let it fall out with a nice long exhale.
Find the position that you're most comfortable in.
No need to stay still throughout the practice.
Move as often as your body asks you to.
Just now,
In this moment,
Find the shape,
The space that makes the most sense for you right now.
Let your eyes close when they're ready.
Do your best to let your breath stay completely natural.
Nothing to manage.
Nothing to control.
Nothing to improve.
Just following your breath in and out.
We'll start by noticing where your body meets the bed.
Notice the weight of your head on the pillow.
Notice the back of your shoulders and the support underneath them.
Notice the rise and fall of your ribs as you breathe in and out.
Let your attention focus on your body in this moment.
Notice the heaviness around your hips.
Let your legs rest the way they naturally rest.
Notice your heels and the solid support under them.
Your mind,
Your thoughts may still be active.
That's okay.
Right now,
We're just letting the body guide the pace.
Bring awareness to your jaw.
And see if you can soften it just a little.
Notice your tongue resting in your mouth.
Is it tense?
Is it soft?
Bring awareness to your hands.
ADHD tension loves to collect here.
So bring awareness to your fingers.
Notice your palms.
If you feel tension,
Move your fingers in and out.
Bring awareness to your belly.
See if you can soften it just a little bit.
All of this attention,
All of this awareness going into the body or letting our physical self know that it can settle down.
Start to let go of the day and get ready for sleep.
Thoughts may still be moving,
Swirling through your brain.
And that's a normal ADHD night.
Instead of wrestling with them,
Give them a simple name.
Label them as thinking,
Remembering,
Or planning.
Each time a thought shows up,
Come back to the heaviness that you notice in your body.
We don't have to clear our mind of thoughts,
And we're not trying to clear our mind of thoughts.
We're simply reducing the pull that they have on us to keep us anxious,
Worried,
Frustrated as we get ready for sleep.
Allow your body to be free.
Allow your attention to drop back into the body.
Moving now to the muscles in your face.
See if you can soften a bit.
Notice your throat.
See if you can soften where the breath comes in and out of the body.
Notice your shoulders,
Resting deeper,
Heavier into the bed.
Bring awareness down one arm,
On the shoulder,
Elbow,
Hand,
All the way to the tips of your fingers.
And moving to the other side,
Shoulder,
Elbow,
Hand,
Tips of your fingers.
Bring awareness now into your heart space.
Notice the simple rise and fall of your heart.
Of your chest with each breath.
Breathing in and out into the heart space.
Moving into the belly now.
As the breath fills your belly,
It expands.
And as you exhale,
Letting the breath out,
The belly falls.
Inhale,
Expand.
Exhale,
Falls.
Bringing awareness to your hips,
As they sink heavier and heavier.
Moving down to one leg,
Thighs,
Knees,
Shins,
And the back of your head.
Feet,
Toes.
Moving to the other leg,
As we soften and let them get heavy.
Thighs,
Knees,
Shins,
Feet,
Toes.
Allowing both legs now to soften,
Get heavy,
Resting more fully.
Your whole body ready for sleep.
If your thoughts are still swirling,
Silently say to yourself,
I'm done for today.
I'm done for today.
Let your body take that in.
Let the me in.
Let the meaning of those words sink into your body,
Into your breath.
I'm done for today.
Notice the whole back of your body now.
Resting heavy into the bed.
Head,
Shoulders,
Lower back,
Hips,
Legs,
Heels.
Notice the weight.
Notice the heaviness.
Notice the support.
Let your breath stay soft.
Let your body sink one layer deeper,
Just as you are now.
Just a bit.
Everything you need to sleep is already here,
Is already within you.
Your body knows how to sleep.
We just have to listen.
Let your body stay heavy and supported.
Sleep will come in its own time.
You don't have to rush anything.
There's nothing left for you to manage tonight.
You're done for the day.
Let the rest of your descent into sleep happen naturally.
You're held.
You're supported.
Let yourself drift into sleep.
I'll leave you resting here.
