Welcome,
Go ahead and find a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to be fully supported beneath you.
We are preparing your body for sleep,
It's common for your mind to take longer to settle.
Take a deep breath in,
And a long slow exhale.
Repeat after me out loud,
I am settling my body and mind to get a restful and restorative night of sleep.
If it feels safe to,
Gently close your eyes,
Or you can soften your gaze with heavy eyelids.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose,
And a long slow breath out of your mouth.
And again,
Breathing in,
And letting the breath fall out naturally.
Each exhale,
Inviting your body to begin shifting out of doing mode,
And into resting mode.
There is nowhere else you need to be right now,
Nothing else you need to be tending to.
Let's help unite your body and mind.
Notice the state of your body right now,
Are you rigid and stiff?
Light and relaxed?
Or somewhere in between?
Bring your attention to the places where your body feels supported.
You don't need to change or adjust anything,
Just simply notice where your body is making contact with the bed or the surface beneath you.
Notice the weight of your head,
Your shoulders,
Your hips,
And your legs.
Let the surface beneath you do the holding.
Feel the tension in your body start to lessen.
Experience the gentle gravity drawing your body downward.
Not pulling,
Just inviting you to settle in.
With each breath out,
Feel yourself arriving more fully into your body.
Now imagine a warm,
Soothing heaviness beginning at the top of your head,
Like a soft buzz or gentle water from a hot shower.
As you exhale,
Allow the warmth to move down into your forehead,
Your eyes,
And your jaw.
Let your jaw soften,
Your tongue rest.
The warmth continues down your neck and into your shoulders.
If you've been carrying anything there today,
Feel it melting away,
Dripping down and off your body down the drain.
Your arms grow heavier,
Upper arms,
Down the elbows,
The forearms,
Your hands and fingers completely relaxing.
There's nothing more you need to hold tonight.
With each breath out,
Your body feels heavier,
Softer,
More at ease,
Like it's gently melting into the surface beneath you.
If your mind begins to wander,
Or if thoughts,
Worries,
Or reminders of tomorrow show up,
That's okay.
Now we're going to practice a skill called containment.
Envision a shelf in front of you.
On the shelf are a variety of containers.
Scan the rows of the shelf for a container that catches your eye.
It might be a decorative box,
A basket,
A jar,
Or a metal safe.
Find one you like with a lid or a cover.
See your arm reaching out to grab the container.
Feel and hold the container in your hand,
Noticing the weight and the security it will hold.
One by one,
Envision gently placing any lingering emotions,
Thoughts,
Worries,
Or to-do items into the container.
You don't need to solve them right at this moment.
You don't need to push them away.
Simply place them inside the container,
Knowing you can return to them tomorrow,
When you're rested and have more resources.
I'll give you a moment now to fill up your container.
When you're ready,
Go ahead and close the container securely and place it back on the shelf,
Full of everything you've let go of for tonight.
Notice how it feels to give yourself permission to rest.
Any feelings of anxiety or worry about the future can wait until tomorrow.
You've handled enough today,
And you deserve to relax and recharge your battery.
Bring your attention now to your breath.
Slow,
Steady,
Easy.
Now go ahead and gently scan through your body without judgment.
Notice your forehead,
Your face,
Your neck,
And your shoulders.
Notice your chest rising and falling,
Your belly softening.
Bring awareness to your hips,
Your legs,
And your feet.
Releasing any remaining tension.
Imagine the next exhale creating just a bit more ease.
Nothing needs to be forced.
Your body knows how to rest.
Your nervous system knows how to settle.
Each breath is carrying you deeper into comfort,
Safety,
And peace.
If sleep comes,
Allow it.
If it doesn't yet,
That's okay.
Rest is still happening.
You can return to the feeling of heaviness,
The support beneath you,
The quiet rhythm of your breath and heart as you settle.
There is nothing else you need to do tonight.
Rest well.
