Can't Get Back To Sleep

When you can't get back to sleep, your body and mind start thinking about how you need to get to sleep. This builds anxiety and makes it even harder to sleep. This guided meditation will calm your mind and body with progressive relaxation so that you can finally get back to sleep.

Transcript

Meditation. For when you wake up. And can't get back to sleep. Begin by getting comfortable again. Adjust your pillows if need to. Move your blanket. Change position. Give your body permission to find what feels comfortable right now. If you have been awake for a while. You may already be thinking about the time. You may be wondering how many hours are left before morning. You may be thinking. I need to get back to sleep. For the next few minutes. See if you can release that goal. You don't have to make yourself sleep. You are simply going to rest. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable. Take a slow breath in through your nose. And breathe it out gently. Again breathe in Breathe out. Now make your exhale a little longer than your inhale. Nothing dramatic. Just an easy, Slow release. Breathing in. And slowly breathing out. Feel the weight of your body against the mattress. Notice your head. Resting on the pillow. Feel your shoulders. Your back. Your head. Your legs. Your feet. The bed is supporting you. You don't have to hold yourself up. You don't have to do anything. If your mind starts making a list. Tomorrow's responsibility. Something you forgot. Something you need to remember. A conversation. A problem. A plan. Imagine placing each thought onto a leaf. Floating down a slow moving stream. Thought appears. Lace it on a leaf. Let it float away. Thought appear. Lace it on another leaf. Let it float away. You don't have to stop the thought. But you don't have to follow them either. Let them pass. And then return to the breath. And out. Perhaps another thought appears. What time is it? Lace it on a leaf. How tired will I be tomorrow? Another leap. Why can't I sleep? Another leaf. Let the stream carry it away. Come back to your body. Notice your jaw. Let it soften. Notice your tongue. Let it rest. Relax your shoulders. Let your fingers curl naturally. Allow your belly to soften. Let your legs become heavy. Feel your heels resting against the bed. You don't need to know when sleep will return. You don't need to check whether you're getting sleepy. You are simply resting. And resting is enough. For this moment. Take another slow breath. Quietly say it to yourself. Nothing needs my attention right now. Breathe out. Tomorrow can wait until tomorrow. Breathe in. Right now I rest. Breathe out. Right now I let go. Let the words begin to fade. Let your breathing become natural. You don't need to listen quietly anymore. You don't need to concentrate. Allow your thoughts to become less important. Allow the spaces between your thoughts. To become a little longer. Feel the quiet of the room. Feel the stillness of your body. Feel the gentle rhythm of your breath. You have nowhere else to be. Nothing else to do. For now. Breathe. And allow sleep to return. Whenever it is ready.