Boost Your Mood Naturally ✨ Guided Sleep Meditation

[00:00:00] It's Karissa here with you to get still, cozy and sleepy as we meditate together and drift off to a peaceful sleep. If you're anything like me, you might have a favorite meditation or two from the podcast that you return to again and again.

[00:00:27] An easy way to keep our show quick to find and keep great sleep night after night is to hit follow. Great sleep helps you feel good. And it feels good to feel good, right?

[00:00:40] To feel like things are working out for you and that you can put your worries aside. But for some of us, those good feelings can be hard to come by. If you love this show, start a free trial of Sleep Wave Premium tonight.

[00:00:54] You'll relax and sleep easier with no advertisements, enjoy more variety with two premium episodes every month, and unlock the full library of exclusive supporter-only episodes. Join in two taps via the link in the show notes. Cancel any time.

[00:01:09] But now, a quick word from our sponsors who make this free content possible. Billy and I just took our three-year-old to his first ever movie in a theater this week, and we saw Inside Out 2.

[00:01:29] If you've seen the first Inside Out, you know the movie is about a young girl's feelings. The feelings in her brain are actual characters. Joy, fear, sadness, etc. But in Inside Out 2, this young girl is about to undergo puberty, and when she does, bam!

[00:01:48] A bunch of other tricky emotions join the mix. Anxiety is the one that really steals the show, and Riley's personality for a while. I found myself chuckling along because anxiety is a big player in my brain for sure. In the movie, the anxiety keeps Riley from feeling joy.

[00:02:09] I have felt like that's true for me at times too. But few things are more important to me than feeling good, so I have practices I like to stick to. When I feel good, I am a better parent, wife, friend, I'm better at work. I'm just better.

[00:02:26] Feeling good is not selfish. I would argue it's essential to a satisfying life. Here's a few of my favorite ways to naturally boost my mood. Going on a walk outside, smelling the fresh air, and envisioning I am literally walking away from my worries and towards what I want.

[00:02:46] Hugging my husband, baby, pet, snuggling gets that oxytocin going. Assess if I need a snack or some water or tea. Calling a friend to chat, laugh, catch up, and connect. And, shocker, I know, meditate.

[00:03:05] When you meditate, you stop the anxious thoughts and you make space for new thoughts to arrive. I did a simple body scan meditation for 5 minutes one morning this week when I was feeling a lot of anxiety.

[00:03:18] And in that short amount of time, I felt more grounded and calm. My mood was worlds better in just a few minutes. Bonus? When you feel better, you sleep better too. Mindfulness and meditation encourage awareness and acceptance of one's thoughts and feelings

[00:03:48] without judgment, allowing us to acknowledge and appreciate whatever mood in which we find ourselves. Moods can then be an opportunity for insight, like a bit of feedback from the unconscious, not unlike a dream. Understanding your mood, then, can be a much deeper and more integrated process than simply

[00:04:11] trying to find a superficial fix for a state of discomfort. No one likes to be in a bad mood. But what if you are able to notice the bad mood from a state of mindfulness?

[00:04:25] What if you are then able to discover that there are unresolved emotions within you that are really asking for your attention through the appearance of a mood? Moods can be symbolic of something in your unconscious, manifesting in the vague and pervasive mood that endures.

[00:04:48] Relax into a steady and comfortable position. It should be steady in the sense that you can maintain that position for some time, and yet calm and relaxed enough to be comfortable. It should be a relatively pleasant posture, allowing muscle tension to melt away into

[00:05:15] the support of the mattress. The mattress rises up to meet you at various points, and at other points there is a sense of space between you and the mattress. Take a moment to calmly observe where your body meets the mattress, and where there is more space.

[00:05:46] The sense of emptiness in the areas where there is space, and the sense of fullness where there is pressure, reveals the yin and yang principle. The relative balance of emptiness and fullness actually creates the best support for your body.

[00:06:10] The ideal support is a surface that is soft and yielding where it needs to be, but firm and solid when it is required elsewhere. In the same way, the mind presents with yin and yang properties. There are the bright, conscious, yang manifestations of the mind.

[00:06:36] Yet there are also yin aspects as well. The hidden emotional content of the mind will always factor into our personalities. Moods are symbols in the sense that they point us toward something going on beneath the threshold of our awareness.

[00:07:03] When you acknowledge your mood without judgment, a little space is created, and this helps you penetrate deeper into the significance of your mood. All at once, what was a vague feeling of unease can become a door opening into the deeper layers of your mind.

[00:07:29] Take a big breath in through your nose, and exhale through your mouth for about 5 seconds. The next inhale replaces itself through your nostrils. Try to allow about 5 seconds for each inhale as well. Notice the transitional pause between the breaths.

[00:08:06] Once more, open the mouth and exhale out any unnecessary tension. Keep the lips closed, and try to breathe only through the nostrils for the next several breaths. If, for some reason, you can't do this, just make sure you are breathing comfortably. Feel your body sinking into the mattress.

[00:08:37] The jaw softens. The soles of your feet seem to relax, as do the palms of your hands. Allow your breath to move your belly up and down with each inhale and exhale. Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling.

[00:09:10] Take a moment to consider what sort of mood you were in today, or some other recent time you've noticed a certain mood appearing. Where did it come from? Did it have the quality of having just arrived unbidden?

[00:09:30] Notice, without judgment, if there is some prevailing mood you are experiencing now, in the present moment. Is it a sense of calm and peace? Or is there a feeling of restlessness or unease? Whatever it is, simply acknowledge it without judgment.

[00:10:00] As you do so, continue to breathe in and out slowly and easily for some time. Imagine that your mood is like a weather system. Visualize it in your mind's eye. If your mood were a type of weather, what would it be? Is it a sunny, bright day?

[00:13:35] Or perhaps a cloudy, overcast sky? Maybe it's a stormy night with thunder and lightning. Whatever image comes to mind, allow yourself to fully experience it. Understand that just as weather changes, so too do moods.

[00:14:08] They are a natural part of the human experience, influenced by both internal and external factors. Your current mood, like the weather, holds symbolic qualities and messages from your unconscious mind. Now, delve deeper into the symbolism of your mood.

[00:15:39] Ask yourself, what might this mood be trying to tell me? Is there some unresolved issue, a hidden emotion, or an unmet need that this mood is bringing to the surface? Allow any thoughts or images to arise naturally, observing them without attachment.

[00:16:24] Imagine that you can communicate with this mood. If it could speak, what would it say? What message does it have for you? Listen carefully and with compassion, recognizing that this mood is a part of you, seeking to be acknowledged and understood.

[00:17:34] Exhale, navel falling. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Continue on. Mindfulness is a powerful tool for noticing and transforming moods in an integrated way. By being present and fully aware of your emotions, you create space for healing and growth.

[00:21:24] Imagine a soft, warm light glowing at the center of your chest. This light represents your mindful awareness, your inner wisdom. With each breath, see this light growing brighter and expanding, enveloping your entire being. As you continue to breathe, imagine this light gently touching and embracing your current

[00:22:09] mood, infusing it with warmth and compassion. Allow the light to dissolve any negativity, tension, or discomfort associated with the mood, transforming it into a sense of peace and understanding. Notice the vibration of peace and understanding. Notice the temperature, the texture.

[00:22:56] Engage as many senses as you can to notice the unique flavor of peaceful, loving awareness. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. To connect more deeply to the sensations in your body, revealing more about your current

[00:26:42] mood and its symbolic qualities, notice any sensations in your toes, the soles of your feet, and your heels. Are they warm or cool? Tense or relaxed? Are your feet grounded like the earth, stable and supportive? Allow whatever imagery comes to mind to settle and observe it with curiosity.

[00:28:26] Now feel the sensations in your calves, thighs. Picture the weather that fits the sensations in your legs. Perhaps your legs feel like strong, rooted trees in a gentle breeze. Or maybe they feel like they're wading through water.

[00:29:03] Whatever the image, embrace it and consider what it might be telling you about your current state. Shift your focus to your hips and pelvis. Notice any tension or ease in this area. Are there any sensations of tightness or relaxation? Visualize the weather that resonates with these feelings.

[00:30:41] Do you feel a warm, comforting sun here? Or is there a cool, refreshing breeze? Allow these images to help you understand your body's messages. Bring your awareness to your abdomen and lower back. Pay attention to any sensations of tension, warmth, or movement.

[00:32:16] What kind of weather would you associate with these sensations? Is there a gentle, flowing river? Or perhaps a stable, solid mountain? Reflect on what these images might symbolize in your current mood. Move up to your chest and upper back.

[00:33:47] Feel the rise and fall of your breath and notice any sensations of openness or tightness. Imagine the weather that matches these feelings. Is there a soft, nurturing rain washing over you? Or a clear, open sky inviting deep breaths? Consider what these images reveal about your emotional state.

[00:35:25] Focus on your shoulders and arms. Are they carrying tension or feeling light and free? Picture the weather that fits these sensations. Perhaps your shoulders feel like they're supporting the weight of heavy clouds. Or maybe they are as light as a gentle breeze.

[00:35:56] Think about what this imagery might mean for your current mood. Shift your attention to your neck and throat. Notice any tightness, relaxation, or other sensations. Visualize the weather associated with these feelings. Is there a calm, steady wind? Or a storm brewing with thunder and lightning?

[00:37:36] Reflect on what these images might be telling you about your emotional landscape. Finally, bring your awareness to your head and face. Notice any sensations in your jaw, cheeks, eyes, and forehead. Are they relaxed or tense? Picture the weather that fits these sensations.

[00:39:12] Perhaps your head feels like it's in the clear light of dawn. Or maybe there are shadows of evening clouds passing through. Consider the symbolic meanings of these images for your current mood. Like the weather, your moods will change.

[00:40:40] They will appear, linger for some time, and then pass by. Trust that there is a deeper lesson in each mood. Give space to yourself to feel what you feel, without the need to immediately change or fix it. Do this gently and with a sense of self-compassion.

[00:41:18] Your mood will change, but the ability to see past it will remain. That inner vision, that space within you that observes the mind's changing patterns, that is the deep and abiding inner peace that is always there for you. Sleep, sleep, sleep.