Hello and welcome.
As you settle into bed tonight,
Allow yourself to get comfortable into whatever position feels natural for your body.
There's nothing you need to do right now,
No problems to solve,
No decisions to make.
This time is simply for resting.
Take a slow,
Easy breath in through your nose and gently exhale through your mouth.
Let the exhale be slightly longer than the inhale,
Signaling to your body that it's ok to relax and slow down.
Again,
Breathing in and allowing the breath to gently come out.
You might begin to notice the surface beneath you supporting your body,
The mattress holding your weight,
The pillow beneath your head.
Your body doesn't have to do anything to hold itself upright now.
The bed is doing that for you,
Helping you to feel completely supported.
Perhaps you can start to allow the muscles in your face to soften,
Unclenching your jaw if it feels tight,
Resting your tongue gently in your mouth.
Let those shoulders sink a little deeper into the bed,
Noticing your arms become heavier and your hands begin to relax.
Just allow the breath to return to its natural rhythm,
Nothing forced,
Nothing needing to be controlled,
Just breathing.
Sometimes when we lie down to sleep,
The mind becomes busy,
Thinking thoughts about the day,
Remembering things that might need our attention,
Or beginning to plan or worry about tomorrow.
If anything like that is present tonight,
Imagine gently placing those thoughts somewhere safe that you can come back to tomorrow.
You might picture writing them down on a piece of paper,
Or placing them into a small container beside your bed.
They're not being ignored,
They're simply waiting for tomorrow,
When your mind is clearer and more rested.
For now,
Nothing needs your attention.
And perhaps it could help to remind yourself that you are safe,
Safe here in this room,
Just resting.
Nothing urgent is required from you tonight.
And with that,
Allowing your mind to settle,
Your nervous system to soften,
So that your body can move into rest.
Another thing that can sometimes make sleep difficult is the feeling that we must fall asleep immediately.
But sleep doesn't work well when it's forced.
In fact,
Our body usually falls asleep most easily when we stop trying.
So tonight,
How would it feel to give yourself permission simply to rest,
Regardless of the outcome?
If sleep comes quickly,
That's wonderful.
And if it takes some time tonight,
That's perfectly fine too.
Resting quietly is still deeply restorative and healing.
Your body knows how to sleep.
It has done this for you thousands of times.
You don't need to make it happen.
Sleep will come in its own time.
For now,
You can simply allow yourself to rest here,
Breathing gently,
Feeling the weight of your body supported by the bed,
Allowing your eyelids to remain soft and heavy,
The muscles in your forehead smooth,
The shoulders loose,
The stomach relaxed.
If you notice your mind wandering,
That's completely normal.
Just gently bring your attention back to the feeling of resting or the rhythm of your breathing.
In a moment,
I'll become quiet and the sounds of nature will continue to play throughout the night.
You don't need to listen.
You don't need to stay awake.
You can simply drift,
Allowing your body to rest,
Allowing sleep to come whenever it arrives.
And if you wake during the night,
The sound will still be here with you,
Steady and calm,
A gentle background as your body returns to sleep again whenever it's ready.
Now there's nothing more for you to do other than to rest.
Sleep well and good night.
