Deep Sleep Meditation

This gentle somatic sleep meditation invites you to put down the weight of the day and let your body rest at its own pace. You settle into your bed, feel the weight of the blankets, and soften your forehead, eyes, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, belly, hips and legs, with a few slow breaths and a slightly longer exhale. Along the way you picture setting down what you have been carrying, like taking off a heavy coat, and hear that there is nothing left to finish tonight. There is no need to make yourself relax or fall asleep, and as the voice fades you can simply rest. This content is educational and is not a substitute for one to one professional care. Please do not listen while driving.

Transcript

Welcome. This is a somatic meditation. To help you come down. And heal while you sleep. Meditation is designed to help you release stored stress and anxiety. Allowing you to drift. Into peaceful sleep. As your body is ready. So thank you for being here. And take this time to get as comfortable as you can. Let your body settle into the bed beneath you. Adjusting anything that needs adjusting before we begin. Let your head sink into your favorite pillow. Feel the comfort that comes with the weight of the blankets. Let your legs be positioned as comfortably as possible. Repeat the same with your arms. Letting your body settle. And knowing that there's nowhere you need to go from here tonight. And nothing else that needs to be finished. Everything can be set down. And wait for tomorrow. As you feel ready, Let your eyes close. And allow the darkness behind your eyelids to become a signal. That the day is ending. And you're allowed to stop. So take a slow breath in through your nose. And let it leave gently through your mouth. Again, Breathe in. And if it's comfortable, Let the exhale be a little longer than the inhale. One more time. In and out. And then letting your breath return to whatever rhythm feels natural. Tonight, You don't have to make yourself relax. Or make yourself fall asleep. You don't have to clear your mind. You only need to rest here in comfort. And let your body take care of everything else. Your body's design is so intelligent. It does so many things for you on a daily basis without you ever thinking about them. So trust that it's safe to let go. Noticing the weight of your head against the pillow. Feel how completely it's being held. Let the pillow. . . The bed. The floor beneath it. And the earth herself hold you. Feel the weight of your shoulders sinking into the bed. Feel your back. Your hips. Your legs. Your heels. Your whole body. Allowing it to be supported. Sinking in deeper. Releasing the weight. As you breathe. All of it being a natural part of the day. Sometimes the day ends before the body realizes that it's over. The conversation has finished. But somehow you're replaying it. The work here is done. Whatever it is, Can wait until tomorrow. There's nothing left to prepare for tonight. So here we're going to help your body recognize something very simple. That this day is complete. Bring your awareness to your forehead. Notice if there's any effort there. And without forcing anything. Let the muscles around your forehead become a little smoother. Soften around your eyes. You don't need to see anything right now. Feel your eyes become heavy in their sockets. Notice your jaw. Feel it unclench. Let your teeth separate slightly. Your tongue rest heavy in the bottom of your mouth. Giving your mouth permission. To become completely quiet. Your face doesn't need to communicate anything. It simply gets to rest. Now allow the softness to move downward into your neck. Letting the scaling muscles on the sides relax. Feeling that warmth. Travel down through your shoulders. Letting them sink. Dropping lower, Even just another inch. The warmth travels down through your arms. And into your hands. Imagine that everything you've been holding with your hands today can be put down now. Whatever needs to be picked up. We'll be there tomorrow. Tonight your hands can be empty. Feel the palms of your hands. And your fingers. Let them become warm and heavy. You Now bring your attention to your chest. You may notice the rise and fall of your breath. Just let the breathing happen. Your body has been breathing for you all day. Without needing any supervision. And it will do the same while you sleep. Let that awareness move into your belly. And notice whether you're holding yourself there. Let your stomach. . . Be totally soft beneath the blankets. You are safe enough in this moment. To use less effort. As you breathe. Let your hips become heavy. Allowing the warmth to release any story or stress. That the hips are holding tonight. Allow that warmth to travel down your thighs. Through your knees. Your calves. Your ankles. Feet. Imagine the entire weight of your body. Flowing downward into the mattress. As if gravity is slowly pulling the effort out of you. You don't have to hold yourself together tonight. The bed has you. The room has you. The Earth herself will hold you. This night is peaceful. Let that peace. Become aware of any other points of tension. And let it warm those areas. Perhaps placing a hand there. There is no force. Just peace and love. Take another slow breath in. And on the exhale. Imagine releasing anything else that you've been carrying. Allow it to be gentle and small. Just a few percent at a time, With every breath. Maybe you notice your shoulders sinking. The softness of your jaw. Maybe your breath wants to sigh. Tonight, Let the work happen quietly. Your body knows what to do. Simply meet it. And allow it. There is no effort here. Throughout the day. The body collects small pieces of tension. And you don't need to know where each one came from. Imagine your body. Simply beginning to set down. Whatever it no longer needs. Like taking off a heavy coat. You don't have to destroy the coat. You just don't need it to sleep with. So let the coat slip off your shoulders. Let today leave your jaw. Let today leave your stomach. Your hands. Moving out through your legs. Whatever needs to be met tomorrow. Will feel different. After you've rested. For now, You are safe. And allowed to disappear. Into the astral. Away from the world for a little while. You have done enough for today. It's time to rest. You can let sleep find you. There's no perfect silence before you fall asleep. You're here. And you're safe. Heavy. Supported. Warm. No need to listen carefully to my voice. That the words become softer and more distant. Attention drifts. Thoughts drift. You can drift. Farther and farther away. You are resting. In the perfection of the night. The support of the bed and the earth beneath you. Whatever your body is ready to release tonight. It can release gently. In its own time. Let my voice begin to fade into the sounds around you. Breathe. Rest. The day is complete. Your body can let go now. Safe. Rested. And held.