Waking In Panic - Soothing The Nervous System

Hello so you've woken up and it feels like your body is racing your heart might be pounding your thoughts might be spinning let's take a few moments together so your body can remember that it's safe again start by feeling the weight of your body on the bed notice the surface holding you your pillow your blanket the mattress beneath you there's nothing you need to fix right now you're safe enough to simply be here you might whisper gently in your mind it's okay my body just forgot for a moment i'm safe right now you're safe without opening your eyes sense the space around you feel the quiet of the room the stillness in the air maybe there's a faint sound the hum of a heater the breath of the night allow your nervous system to make that in this is orientation the body's way of realizing there's no danger here now bring one hand to your heart and maybe the other to your stomach or ribs feel the warmth of your hands the rise and the fall underneath allow your touch to say i'm here i'm with you if there's a lot of energy if your body feels charged you can press your feet or heels gently into the bed hold that for a moment and then slowly release notice the wave of release that follows and then let's come to the breath now without changing too much just begin to notice the rhythm when you're ready inhale softly through your nose two three four and exhale through your mouth two three four five like a quiet sigh as if you're fogging a mirror do that once more inhale gently through the nose two three four and exhale slowly through the mouth two three letting the exhale melt downward like sand settling at the bottom of a jar now allow the breath to find its own rhythm again you don't need to control it just notice the soft motion of air moving in if you notice panic or tightness maybe in your chest or stomach simply name it quietly there's some activation here and then find somewhere more neutral the weight of your body the contact of your hands the feeling of the sheets move your awareness gently between them from what feels charged to what feels steady back and forth like waves lapping the shore now bring to mind something soothing perhaps sunlight a quiet lake or the steady rhythm of ocean waves allow your breath to match that image slow and rhythmic safe and soft you might whisper quietly to yourself i can rest now my body knows how to settle i'm held and i can drift and if sleep doesn't come right away that's okay just rest here breathing sensing the rhythm allowing the nervous system to unwind on its own time nothing to do nowhere to go just rest you are safe now your body is remembering how to reset let yourself drift softly gently back to sleep good night