- [Instructor] In this Guided Meditation,
Bedtime Mindfulness,
we'll learn about an evening mindfulness practice
that can help prepare you for a more restful night sleep.
(ambient music)
So before we begin, let's just check in
with how we've brought kind awareness
so far today to our thoughts,
to our heart and emotions and to the body itself.
Aware of any sensations that are already present
in your belly, chest or head.
And are there any emotions present
that you might associate with these feelings?
Notice if you already have any positive
or negative thoughts regarding this topic.
I noticed too that however it is that you feel
there's many others that feel the same way you do
and all of your feelings could change at any time.
And of course, we'll do our best
as we go through this mindfulness exercise
to think about how we might apply what we've learned here
to our own lives.
So Bedtime Mindfulness, and Meditation.
Now we may have woven mindfulness practice into our day
but we sometimes find that as soon as we lie down in bed,
the mind begins to race.
As the body settles down for the evening
the mind doesn't always read the situation accurately.
With a stimuli of daily life over
the mind can seem louder than usual.
So this exercise can be used in these moments
when we wanna settle the mind and the body for sleep.
So we'll begin by standing next to the bed
and take a few deep breaths.
In and out through the nose can help calm the body itself.
Center yourself in the present moment
by bringing awareness to the body as it is right now.
And then as you get into bed
remain aware of what's occurring in the body itself.
As you lie down feel the body assuming a resting position
and use your awareness of breath
to bring mindfulness to the body
and to cultivate this relaxation.
As you breathe in, feel your lungs fill with air.
And when you exhale, let the body soften into your mattress.
Picture yourself falling deeper,
settling deeper into the mattress with each breath out.
Begin a body scan, starting at the top of your head
and then moving down through the neck and shoulders
the arms, the torso, the hips, the legs
all the way down into your toes.
Take as much time with that as you need to.
And as your attention rests on each part
relax and soften with every exhale breath.
If you reach your toes before you fall asleep
return to the body as a whole
and continue this practice of breathing deeply,
still softening with each breath out.
And if you make it a practice
to slowly move through that mindfulness sequence,
each time you go to bed
you might find that the body becomes accustomed to relaxing
when we approach this moment of lying down.