Welcome to this guided body scan.
You can use this meditation yourself or with your child at bedtime.
Sleep is one of the most natural states we can all experience,
But sometimes getting to sleep can be hard.
Relaxation is a great way to help you settle and drift off to sleep.
I invite you to lie in or on your bed.
Make yourself comfortable.
Let your arms and legs gently flop out to the side.
Uncurl your hands.
Let your jaw soften and your shoulders drop.
If you wish,
You may close your eyes.
You don't need to worry if thoughts are buzzing around inside your mind or if you don't feel as comfortable as you'd like to.
None of this matters.
If you need to move a little now and then to be comfortable,
That's fine.
The important thing is that you're lying here,
Allowing your body to rest,
Allowing your body to relax with nothing to do but listen to my voice.
Now,
Take three breaths in and out,
Breathing in through your nose and letting the air flow slowly out of your mouth.
Breathe in and allow the air to travel all the way down to your toes.
As you do this,
You may put your hand on your belly to feel it rise.
Breathe slowly out through your mouth,
Letting all the air flow out.
Keep your hand on your belly to feel it rise up when you breathe in and fall when you breathe out.
When you've done three breaths in your own time,
Let your breathing go back to normal.
You don't need to think about it anymore.
Feel your body relax.
The day is over and it's time to switch off.
To let go of your busy day.
It's time to let go of all of the activity.
All the working and thinking can stop.
Let the day's energy start to flow out of your body like water flowing from a tap.
We're going to ask all of the muscles in your body to relax one by one.
We'll do this by tensing them up and then asking them to release.
We'll start at your toes and go all the way to the top of your head.
Let's start with your feet.
Move your attention onto your feet.
Notice if they feel hot or cold.
Clench your toes tight.
Hold them for a second as tight as you can.
Then inside your mind or you can whisper out loud,
Feet relax and all the energy stored in your feet just flows out.
Move your attention up to your calves.
Tense your calves tight.
Hold them for a second as tight as you can then inside your mind or you can whisper out loud,
Calves relax and all the energy just flows away.
Move your attention up to your thighs.
Tense your thighs tight.
Hold them for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Thighs relax and all of the energy stored in your thighs flows out.
Notice how heavy your thighs feel now.
Move your attention up to your bottom.
Tense your buttocks tight.
Hold for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Bottom relax and all the energy and there's often a lot of energy stored in our buttocks ebbs away.
Move your attention to your belly.
Tense your belly muscles.
Hold for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Belly relax.
Notice how your body is listening to what you're asking it to do.
Your body is amazing.
It knows exactly what to do.
Move your attention up to your shoulders.
Tense the muscles in your shoulders.
Hold for a second or two as tight as you can then whisper,
Shoulders relax and all the energy just flows out.
Move your attention along to your arms.
Tense your bicep muscles.
Hold for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Arms relax.
Now move along to your hands and fingers.
Feel your fingers tight into a ball.
Hold for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Hands relax and notice how you can let go of all of the energy you've held onto during the day.
Your fingers might even feel a little bit tingly.
Move your attention up to your head.
Tense all of the tiny muscles in your scalp,
In your face.
Scrunch all of these little muscles up tight.
Hold for a second as tight as you can then whisper,
Head relax and all of the energy just flows away.
Wiggle your jaw and let your tongue relax.
Now we'll ask your whole body to let go of any last bits of energy so they can just dissolve into the air.
Your body knows how to sleep.
It has slept hundreds of times before.
It knows how to give you the rest you need to heal and to grow.
Your body is so clever.
It knows how to let you slip into a deep,
Safe,
Restful sleep and how to wake up tomorrow morning at the right time,
Feeling fresh and bright with new energy,
Ready for an exciting day tomorrow.
Sleep now.
Sleep now.
Sleep now.
