8:11:19

Permission To Rest | 8 Hour Sleep Meditation

by Kate McKenna

Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
3

This practice is designed to help you unwind at the end of the day—without manifestations, mantras, imagery, or anything you feel you have to 'get right'. We begin with gentle breath work signalling safety to the body, from there you'll be guided in a grounded sleep meditation designed to quieten mental overactivity, release the pressure of unfinished tasks and gently remind you that today is over. This practice is about permission, permission to stop trying, to set things down for the night and trust your body's natural ability to rest. There's nothing to fix, visualise or achieve. Simply listen, breathe, and allow yourself to soften into sleep as binaural sounds carry you through the night. Notes: about 10 minutes of guidance leads to 8 hours of binaural sound (which is best experienced with headphones)

SleepMeditationRelaxationBinauralBreathworkTension ReleaseMindfulnessSleep SupportBinaural MusicBreath Awareness4 8 BreathingMind ReassuranceWork DetachmentSelf Trust

Transcript

Welcome,

I'm Kate.

I'm here to guide and support your sleep journey.

We begin with gentle breath work before the guided meditation,

Which is followed by eight hours of restful binaural music.

There is nothing you need to visualize or achieve.

All you need to do is simply listen,

Breathe,

And give yourself permission to let go.

Take a moment to settle comfortably.

However you're lying right now is okay.

There's nothing you need to fix or adjust.

Close your eyes,

Let them rest.

Notice the contact points between your body and the bed,

The places where you're being held.

You don't need to fall asleep right away.

You don't need to try to sleep at all.

Your only job is to rest.

We'll start with the breath.

Just begin by noticing your natural breathing rhythm.

No effort,

No correction.

Inhale deeply through your nose.

Exhale slowly through your mouth,

Maybe with a gentle sigh.

Inhale through your nose for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale through your nose,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Again,

Inhale through your nose for one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale through your nose,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

There's no need to count perfectly and if that is a struggle,

Just do your version of deep,

Slow breathing,

Keeping the exhale longer than the inhale.

I speak inhale,

You're safe right now.

Exhale,

There's no emergency,

You can relax.

Inhale,

As you breathe,

Notice where your body is holding on.

Exhale,

Maybe the jaw,

Shoulders,

Belly,

Hands.

Keep breathing.

You're not forcing anything to release,

You're just noting,

Simply allowing the breath to do its work.

With every exhale,

Imagine tension draining away.

Not dramatically,

Just steadily,

Like pressure easing.

Now let the breath return to its natural rhythm.

Trust that your body remembers how to breathe for rest.

You've done enough for today.

Today's complete,

Even if everything on the list isn't.

There is nothing else required of you in this moment.

If your mind is still busy,

That's okay.

A busy mind doesn't mean you're doing this wrong.

The mind has spent all day being busy,

Scanning,

Solving,

Managing.

It doesn't switch off instantly.

So instead of trying to silence it,

Let's give it some reassurance.

Mind,

Hear these words.

You are safe right now.

You are held.

You are not alone.

Whatever today brought,

The conversations,

The decision,

The effort,

They are finished for now.

You don't need to replay them.

You don't need to prepare for tomorrow.

Tomorrow will have your full attention when it arrives.

Right now,

It's time for rest.

If thoughts about unfinished tasks appear,

Imagine gently setting them aside,

Not pushing them away,

Just placing them somewhere they can wait.

They don't need you during the night.

They will still be there in the morning.

Give yourself permission to stop trying,

To stop holding everything together,

To stop being vigilant.

Your body knows how to sleep.

It has done this thousands of times before.

You can trust it.

You can trust yourself,

Your ability to meet what comes,

To adapt,

To cope,

To respond.

Nothing needs to be solved tonight.

Rest is not something you earn.

It's something you allow.

If sleep comes,

Let it come.

If it doesn't yet,

That's okay too.

Rest is still happening.

From here,

You don't need to listen closely anymore.

Just let the sound support you.

Allow yourself to drift in your own time,

In your own way.

You are safe.

You are supported.

And it's okay to rest now.

Meet your Teacher

Kate McKennaBrisbane, QLD, Australia

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© 2026 Kate McKenna. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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