Yoga Nidra Guided Sleep Meditation

This yoga nidra is designed to help you sleep a little bit more deeply and peacefully.

So whether you're having trouble falling asleep or perhaps you're waking up in the middle of the night,

Take the next few moments to get a little bit more comfy and allow yourself to slip away into deeper states of relaxation and rest.

So wherever you are,

Feel free to make yourself just a little bit more comfortable.

If it helps,

Tense up the whole body,

Stretching out the fingertips,

Pointing the toes,

And tense every single muscle in the body.

And then release and exhale.

Let's do this one more time.

Big deep inhale and tense every single muscle in the body,

Perhaps even stretching out the mouth,

Pulling the face away and apart,

Pulling the fingertips away from each other,

Pointing the toes,

And then exhale,

Release.

Sensing into the physical sensations running through the body,

Feeling some of that energy running through the body.

Now as you start to open yourself into this evening's practice,

Let's start with an intention.

Perhaps you might like to begin with an intention for deep rest.

Perhaps it's simply allowing yourself to relax.

Take a few moments to feel into what brought you to this meditation.

How would you like to feel at the end of this practice?

Now sensing and feeling into whether this intention supports a deeper heartfelt desire for this life.

Perhaps this intention for deep rest and relaxation allows you to relax into a deeper state of peace,

Love,

Or fulfillment in this life.

And even if no deeper heartfelt desire might be present at this moment,

Simply sensing and feeling into this question with a curiosity.

Does this intention for my practice support a deeper heartfelt desire?

And what might this be?

Deepening into the breath,

Taking a deeper inhale and a deeper exhale.

With every exhale,

Relax just a little bit more.

As you come to the end of the next exhale,

Relaxing a little deeper,

Sensing and feeling into where there might be a quiet sense of peace within you.

Even if thoughts might be present,

Emotions or physical sensations,

Sensing and feeling into this deeper sense of peace within you and all around you.

Continue to relax deeper with each exhale.

Sensing and feeling into the crown of the head.

Sensations in the crown of the head and then feeling relaxation in the crown of the head.

Feeling and sensing all the way down the back of the head,

All of the sensations in the back of the head.

And then relaxing in the back of the head.

Traveling and sensing sensations down the neck,

Front and back.

And then relaxing the front and back of the neck.

Sensing and feeling into sensations in the forehead.

Is there any tightness or tension around the forehead?

And perhaps bringing some relaxation all through the forehead.

Traveling sensation down the nose.

Traveling relaxation down the nose.

Sensing and feeling all of the physical sensations through the cheekbones.

Noticing any tension.

And then bringing relaxation through the cheekbones.

Feeling sensations through the entire face.

Noticing if there might be any points around the face where you might be tense.

Perhaps frowning.

And then relaxing into all sensations around the face.

Sensing and feeling into sensations in the base of the throat.

Noticing if there's any tightness there.

And then relaxing all sensations in the base of the throat.

Sensing and feeling all the way through the top of the shoulders,

Left and right.

Noticing any tension.

Any stiffness.

Noticing any knots you might have at the top of your shoulders.

And then relaxing into the tops of the shoulders,

Left and right.

Traveling waves of relaxation through the tops of the shoulders.

Now traveling and feeling down both arms at the same time.

Down the upper arms.

All the way down through the forearms.

Sensing and feeling into any tightness,

Tension.

And on your next exhale,

Relax into both arms at the same time.

Letting go of the tension.

Softening into the muscles.

Now sensing and feeling into both hands and all ten fingers at the same time.

Noticing the physical sensations that are present.

Noticing any tension.

Tightness.

And on the next exhale,

Relax into both hands and all ten fingers at the same time.

Sending waves of relaxation all the way down both arms,

Down into both hands and all ten fingers at the same time.

Bringing attention back to the base of the throat.

And then traveling sensation all the way down from the chest down into the navel.

And sensing and feeling into all the sensations from the base of the throat all the way down to your navel.

Noticing any tension.

Any tightness.

And then as you exhale,

Relax,

Release.

Soften the muscles around any of the tension you might find.

From the chest all the way down to the navel.

Bringing attention to the abdomen,

The lower back,

The hips.

Noticing any physical sensations all around the lower abdomen area.

Noticing any tension.

Any tightness.

Any imbalances between sides.

There's no need to judge yourself for it.

No need to wish that one side feels different than the other.

Simply noticing and bringing attention to any tightness or tension that might be there.

And with your next exhale,

Relaxing and releasing any tension around the abdominal area.

Your hips,

The lower back.

Feeling waves of relaxation all the way through the abdominal area.

Now sensing and feeling all the way down both legs at the same time.

Traveling sensation down and noticing if there's any tightness,

Tension,

Pain.

All the way down into both ankles.

And wherever you might feel some tension,

Tightness or pain down both legs,

On the next exhale,

Relax,

Release.

Soften into those muscles.

Feeling waves of relaxation all the way down from both hips down into the ankles.

Now bringing sensation from both ankles all the way down through both feet and all 10 toes.

Noticing any tightness,

Tension or pain through both ankles,

Feet and all 10 toes.

And then relaxing,

Sending waves of relaxation from both ankles through both feet and all 10 toes.

Now gently scanning attention from the crown of the head all the way down through the body and all the way down through the feet.

Noticing if there's any tension.

Simply noticing there's no need to fix or change.

And then on the next exhale,

Relax a little deeper.

Softening into every single muscle.

Feeling waves of relaxation from the crown of the head sweeping down through the body,

Down through the arms,

Down through the legs and all the way through the toes.

Waves of relaxation,

Softening,

Releasing.

Finding this deep peace,

Present.

Feeling waves of relaxation from the crown of the head all the way down to the tips of your toes.

If it's helpful,

Take a deep breath in.

Feel a tension gather through the crown of the head.

And as you exhale,

Feel relaxation sweeping through the body all the way down through the tips of the toe.

Deep inhale through the crown of the head.

Deep exhale,

Relaxation all the way through the body.

Sending deep waves and deep breaths of relaxation.

Softening.

Releasing.

Relaxing.

Noticing if there are any emotions present.

As you notice this deep peace from within you.

Perhaps a deep sense of joy is also present.

Noticing if any thoughts might still be present.

Allowing them to be.

As you continue to relax,

Sending waves of relaxation through the body.

Perhaps even if there are emotions and thoughts present.

Could you find a way to relax into the emotions and thoughts?

Just as you soften into each muscle in the physical body.

Can you also soften the thinking mind?

Can you also soften whatever emotions might be present?

Perhaps using the breath to relax,

Soften into the physical sensations.

Using the breath to soften into any emotions or thoughts.

As you continue to deeply exhale.

Opening into a deeper sense of peace and presence.

Noticing as you deepen into this rested state.

The awareness that is also here.

Could you allow yourself to relax into this deeper state of awareness?

Perhaps using the breath to soften into any emotions or thoughts.

Perhaps using the breath to soften into any emotions or thoughts.

From this deeper place of awareness.

Perhaps you might like to allow yourself to drift.

Drift away.

Relaxing into deep asleep.

If it's helpful,

Bringing attention back to your intention for this practice.

Sensing this deep rest,

This deep relaxation that is present.

Checking back in with the heartfelt desire from the start of this practice.

Know that the effects of this practice will stay with you through tonight and through the coming day.

Keeping this heartfelt desire and intention close to you.

As you drift away into deeper stages of sleep tonight.

Have a beautiful sleep.

And I'll see you in the next one.