Guided Sleep Meditation

Welcome to your sleep meditation

We are going to leave the day behind, easing into an expansive space of deep relaxation and sleep

Lie on your back in a comfortable position, arms by your sides, with your palms facing up

Make any adjustments so that you can feel totally supported and at ease

It can be nice to cover yourself with a blanket, or if you have lower back pain, you can try bringing pillows under your knees, to allow the lower back to release

Let your ankles fall to the side

Take a big yawn, stretching the muscles in the face, and releasing any tension you may be holding

Sigh it out, giving yourself full permission to rest, and let go of any distracting thoughts

This is your time to sleep

If you haven't yet, allow your gaze to soften, and gently close your eyes

Let the muscles around the eyes relax, allowing the eyeballs to soften, the corners of the eyes to release downwards

Relax the jaw. Let the lips and teeth part. The tongue rests

Take a big full breath in through the nose and release it out through the mouth

Inhale again, breathing in a nice cleansing and expansive breath through your nose, exhaling out your mouth, releasing any tension or stress in your body, any tightness in your joints

Inhale, filling your chest up with air and allowing it to spread open like an accordion, making more and more space in your lungs for relaxation

And as you exhale, you're gonna send this breath downwards through your body, into your feet

Down the stomach, down the thighs, down the knees, the calves, and spreading out across the soles of your feet

Relaxing every part of your body as the breath moves through it

Let's try this again

Inhale slowly, expanding the belly and the chest

And exhale, move the breath downwards, washing over the body, down the stomach, down the legs, and all the way to the feet and into the toes

One last time together

Slowly inhaling with a nice peaceful breath and exhaling, releasing any stress as the breath travels downwards over your body, from the lungs to the belly to the legs and out through the bottoms of your feet

Maybe your body is starting to feel heavy. Open to the sensation of spreading relaxation. Allow yourself to sink in fully to the bed, letting gravity support you

Perhaps the backs of your hands get heavy, releasing any tension in the fingers. There is nothing to hold on to. This is your time for sleep

Feel your shoulders melt into the bed

Feel your hips get heavy

All muscles in the body relax

Allow yourself to drift off

Bring your awareness again back to the feet

Scanning over the feet and becoming aware of any sensation living there, in the bones, on the skin

The heaviness of the feet. Maybe there is some tingling happening, or a sensation of heat or coolness

Let all the muscles in the feet get loose. Pay attention to what is happening in the feet

Inhale and exhale

Sinking fully into total relaxation with each breath

Like a wave, the breath flows in and the breath flows out

Naturally rocking you to sleep

We are now going to move through the body, bringing in more awareness

No need to focus too much, just listen passively and feel the body parts as I name them

Relaxing each time and sinking deeper into slumber

The left ankle

The right ankle

The left calf muscle

The left shin

The right calf muscle

The right shin

The left knee

The right knee

The left thigh

The right thigh

The left groin

The right groin

The hips

The lower belly

The lower back

The upper belly

The entire stomach

The left ribcage

The right ribcage

The left back

The right back

The spine

The left chest

The right chest

The middle of the chest

The left shoulder blade

The right shoulder blade

The left shoulder

The right shoulder

The left arm

The left hand

The fingers of the left hand

The palm of the left hand

The right arm

The right hand

The fingers of the right hand

The palm of the right hand

The neck

The throat

The jaw

The lips

The area above the lips

The left cheek

The right cheek

The nose

The bridge of the nose

The left ear

The right ear

The left temple

The right temple

Both temples

The eyelids

The forehead

The crown of the head

The scalp

The whole head. The whole body. Resting peacefully. Tranquil

Stay here sleeping as long as feels right for you, Enjoy this restorative time for your body, mind, and spirit

When you wake from this meditation, you will feel totally well-rested and at peace