Hi there,
I'm Dr.
Misty and I'm glad you're here.
If you're listening to this it's probably because your body or your mind is having a hard time shifting into nighttime mode.
That is a very real experience for many neurodivergent nervous systems.
The lights,
The noise,
The demands of the day,
The emotional intensity,
The sensory overload,
The racing thoughts,
Or the pressure to finally rest,
Any of that can make the nighttime transition feel like climbing uphill.
Nothing is wrong with you for that.
There is nothing strange or dramatic about your difficulty settling.
Your body is protecting you in its own way and we can help it shift into something softer and safer together.
Before you do anything,
Let your body stay exactly where it is.
You do not have to fix your posture.
You do not need to lie down perfectly.
You do not need to take a deep breath just because people say you should.
You are allowed to arrive here without changing a thing.
Take a moment to feel the surface beneath you.
Your bed,
Your couch,
Your mattress,
Your blanket,
Whatever is holding you up,
Let yourself notice that support.
You do not have to hold yourself right now.
Let the surface do that work for you.
Feel the weight of your body settling downward.
Even if you feel restless,
Buzzing,
Or tense,
Let a small part of your weight sink a little deeper into the surface.
Imagine that surface saying I have you.
You can let go just a little bit.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
You do not need to breathe deeply.
You do not need to breathe in any special pattern.
Simply notice the inhale as it rises and the exhale as it falls.
Your breath has been doing its job all day without asking for your attention.
Now you can give it a soft and gentle acknowledgement.
Let your breath slow naturally.
Not because you force it,
But because nothing is chasing you here.
Now let your attention drift to your eyes.
If your eyes are open,
Allow your gaze to soften.
If they're closed,
Notice the heaviness in your eyelids.
Imagine a warm shade being drawn over your eyes,
Dimming the brightness of the day.
Imagine the muscles around your eyes loosening,
Releasing the tension that built up from screens,
Lights,
Conversations,
And overstimulation.
Let your forehead soften.
Imagine a quiet coolness settling there,
Clearing out the mental static and making space for rest.
Bring slow attention to your jaw.
Let your teeth separate slightly.
Let your tongue rest low in your mouth.
Let your cheeks soften.
Your jaw has worked hard today,
Responding to every stressor and every moment of masking or social effort.
Let it unwind now.
Let your shoulders drop even a little.
Imagine someone gently placing warm hands on your shoulders,
Letting you know it's safe to release.
Let your upper body feel supported and held.
You do not need to brace anymore.
Bring your awareness to your chest.
Feel the breath move softly in and out.
Imagine your ribs expanding like slow waves.
With each exhale,
Imagine a small layer of tension melting down and away from your chest.
Let that softening drift into your arms,
Down through your elbows and forearms,
And into your hands.
Notice what your hands feel like.
They may be restless,
Tight,
Warm,
Cold,
Numb,
Or relaxed.
Whatever they are,
Let them be.
Imagine a gentle weight resting in your hands,
Anchoring them and calming them.
Bring awareness to your belly.
Many neurodivergent nervous systems carry tension here at night.
Let your belly move naturally with the breath.
If it feels tight,
That is okay.
Imagine a warm,
Steady glow settling there,
Comforting and softening this part of you from the inside.
Now let that warmth move into your hips.
Your hips hold so much of the day.
Let them feel heavy and supported.
Imagine the tension in your hips melting into the surface beneath you,
As if the bed is absorbing the stress for you.
Feel your legs now.
Let your thighs soften around the bone.
Let the muscles that held you upright all day finally release.
Let your knees relax.
Let your calves loosen.
Let your feet rest heavily.
Imagine your feet sinking comfortably into the bed.
Imagine the surface drawing the leftover activation downward,
Away from your mind and out of your body.
You do not need to visualize in detail.
Simply imagine that you do not have to hold on to anything intense anymore.
Bring your awareness to your whole body now.
Notice how your breath,
Your muscles,
Your skin,
And your thoughts feel a little softer than they did when you began.
Maybe the shift is small.
Maybe it's significant.
Either way,
Your body is responding.
Your nervous system is listening.
Imagine a gentle warmth spreading through your entire body.
It's not heat,
It's comfort,
Ease,
Quiet.
A reminder that rest is not something you have to earn.
Rest is something your body already knows how to find once the world gets quieter.
Imagine this warmth surrounding you like a soft cocoon,
Protecting you from the noise and demands of the day.
Inside this cocoon,
Everything slows down.
Everything softens.
Everything becomes manageable again.
Take a slow inhale.
Let your exhale fall out of you like a sigh.
Imagine each exhale lowering your body towards sleep,
One layer at a time.
Your mind might still bring up thoughts.
That's okay.
Let the thoughts drift by without grabbing onto them.
You do not need to solve anything right now.
Nothing requires your attention.
All tasks,
All conversations,
All worries can wait until morning.
Right now,
Your only job is to settle into this moment.
Feel the rhythm of your breath.
Feel the softness beneath you.
Feel the gentle heaviness spreading through your body.
Let the warmth in your chest and belly guide you downward into rest.
Let yourself drift.
Let yourself loosen.
Let your body fall into the deep comfort it has been wanting all day.
You do not need to do anything more.
Your system knows what to do.
You can rest now.
You can release.
You can let go.
You are safe.
You are supported.
And you have done enough.
It's time to rest.
