Breathe Out The Day ✨ Guided Sleep Meditation with Simple Breathwork

[00:00:10] Hi there, and welcome back to Sleep Wave. It's your host, Carissa, and I am so glad you made it here tonight. The day is done. You can set it down now. Together, we're going to breathe and meditate and just let it all go. This is our weekly free episode. If you've been enjoying the show, we'd love to invite you to become a subscriber. It's truly the best way to listen to the show.

[00:00:38] Details can be found below your podcast player. Sometimes I forget how magical the breath is. Obviously, we all know we need to breathe to live, and lots of times we don't think about it much beyond that. Like our heart beating, our breath is just something that happens without us having to really focus too much on it.

[00:01:01] I've practiced lots of yoga and meditation in my life, and breathwork is a huge part of that. Just a couple weeks ago, I was traveling for work and had the wonderful opportunity to do yoga with one of my very first teachers, who is now a dear friend. At the end of our practice, he led me through a breathwork sequence he designed, and it was incredible.

[00:01:27] By gently and purposefully manipulating my breath according to his instructions, I felt calmer, clearer, more energized, and even healthier. I felt like I had quite literally breathwork. I felt like I had quite literally breathed out all my stress, tension, and imbalances. Gentle breathwork is a deeply soothing thing to do before sleep, too.

[00:01:53] It can help you unwind and prepare for a deep rest like nothing else. Tonight, Billie has written us a gorgeous and effective breathwork meditation to lead us into sleep. Before we begin, our only ad break, which helps make this show possible. To listen ad-free, follow the link in the show notes. Tonight's episode of Sleep Wave is sponsored by Vinted.

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[00:03:13] With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and, for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted. Alright friends, get cozy and let's drift away.

[00:03:38] Inhale and exhale. Breathe out the day. As you release the exhale, consciously let go of the activity of the day that has just passed and arrive right where you are. The mind, the body and the spirit all show up together in the here and now.

[00:04:03] Now, resting in your bed, take a deep breath in through your nose. Open your mouth and let it go. Notice the brief moments when the breath is still. Again, when you're ready, inhale through your nose. There's a pause at the top of the inhale. Then let it go through the mouth.

[00:04:33] Breathe in and out. Complete the exhale and linger in that brief stillness with the lungs empty. Once more, in the same way, inhale through your nose. Pause. Exhale through your mouth. Pause. Take your time.

[00:04:59] Now, if possible, breathe in and out through the nose. You may find that your breath is just a little smoother Maybe the inhale and the exhale are just a bit slower Perhaps those pauses between the breaths aren't passing by unnoticed But instead, they become moments of mindfulness

[00:05:27] A slight gap in the chain of thoughts An opportunity for presence Take some time to make any adjustments to your body and your bedding Find your way into a supported and relaxed position One that allows you to give your body weight over to the mattress beneath you

[00:05:57] Feeling that relief Notice the belly rising And falling with the breath Inhale, navel rising Exhale, navel falling Inhale, navel rising

[00:06:26] Exhale, navel falling Inhale, navel rising

[00:06:54] Inhale, navel rising Exhale, navel falling

[00:07:24] Inhale, navel rising

[00:07:28] Now you've shifted into a parasympathetic state

[00:08:43] That means your body has turned its resources inward It means the attention that has been turned outward during the day And the energy being turned into a day And the energy being directed toward the things of the world

[00:09:09] The daytime things that occupy our waking hours Energy is now being devoted And the energy being directed to what is a little nearer A little more intimate A little softer And quieter

[00:09:27] And breathe gently and deeply

[00:10:50] Here for a few more breaths You don't need to breathe in any particular way

[00:12:41] You don't need to breathe in any particular way You don't need to breathe in any particular way The breath is the most clearly You might feel it at the opening of the nostrils You might feel it moving through the throat The chest There's no need to follow my instructions too closely Just notice what you can actually feel Just notice what you can actually feel

[00:13:14] The breath comes in Notice whether the inhale feels cool as it enters the nose, and slightly warmer as it leaves.

[00:13:40] Feel the subtle movement of air against the skin. Inhale, cool. The breath is closely connected to prana. Prana is sometimes described as life force.

[00:14:11] It's most useful to experience prana as the energy that moves you. You don't have to imagine anything unusual. You can feel it in the simple movement of the breath. You breathe in and the chest expands.

[00:14:39] The belly rises. You breathe out and the body settles. The breath moves. And the body responds. Bring your attention to the inhale.

[00:15:06] Feel the body receiving the breath. Bring your attention to the exhale. Feel the body releasing it. Receiving. And releasing. Expanding.

[00:15:35] And settling. This movement has been happening all day. Without any help from you that you're paying attention. You can feel it happening. And breathe.

[00:16:02] When we bring this mindful attitude to the breath.

[00:17:14] Becoming fascinated with the subtle movements of the breath. Coaxing it. Coaxing it to move into different areas. Like water that flows into empty spaces. We call it pranayama.

[00:17:39] Pranayama exercises involve challenging the breath. But tonight. We're just gently asking the breath to move with our subtle intention. Simply give the exhale a little more. Breathe in naturally. And breathe out.

[00:18:07] And let the exhale take its time. Feel the breath gradually leaving the body. At the end of the exhale. Rest for a moment. Then.

[00:18:36] Let the next inhale come when it's ready. We dance with the breath. And the breath dances with us. And the body delights in the play that unfolds. As the mind and the breath. Come together harmoniously.

[00:19:04] For the next few breaths. Imagine that the inhale moves all the way through you. It enters through the nose. Passes through the throat. And spreads across the chest. It moves down into the belly.

[00:19:33] And continues through the arms. And the legs. All the way. And the feet. As you breathe out. Feel the whole body. The shoulders soften.

[00:20:06] The hands loosen. The muscles around the eyes. And the mouth. Relax. Breathe in and feel the breath moving through you. Breathe out.

[00:20:32] And feel yourself settling more deeply into the bed. Receiving the breath. And letting go. See if there is anything you're still holding from the day. You don't have to name it. Or think about it.

[00:21:02] For now. Just breathe out.

[00:22:28] Notice your exhale now. And stay with it. Begin to notice where the day may still be held in the body. You may feel it around the eyes. In the forehead. Or along the jaw.

[00:22:58] Soften the space between the eyebrows. Let the eyes become still. Behind the eyelids. Rest inside the mouth. And leave a little space. Between the upper and lower teeth.

[00:23:28] Breathe in. As you breathe out. Let the muscles of the face relax.

[00:24:10] Move your attention down. Into the neck and the shoulders. Notice. If the shoulders are still carrying some of the effort. You don't have to push them down. Just breathe out.

[00:24:38] And feel them getting heavier. Let that weight move through the upper back. Through the arms. I've been busy today.

[00:25:12] Feel each palm resting. And each finger becoming softer.

[00:25:21] Bring your attention to the center of the body.

[00:26:00] As you breathe in. Feel the belly gently rise. Soft and easy. Like a slow. Remain still.

[00:26:36] There is no need to tighten. Just allow this natural rhythm of the breath. Move through the body. The muscles around. The low back.

[00:27:18] Through the thigh. The lower leg. Feel both legs resting fully on the bed. Notice the heels.

[00:27:47] Notice the soles of the feet. Your whole body is here now. But the mind may still be moving through parts of the day. Remember something you did. Somewhere you went.

[00:28:16] Or someone you spoke with. You don't need to go back through it all. Just notice what comes up. See it for a moment. Let it appear before your awareness. And then breathe out. Let it pass.

[00:29:48] If a conversation returns to you. Breathe out. If you feel something undone. Breathe out. If there's a problem you are trying to solve. You can stop working on it. For now. Tomorrow will arrive. And you can meet it. With fresh eyes.

[00:30:19] For tonight. Let it be. Breathe in completely. With each exhale. Feel a little more distance opening. Between you and the day. Places.

[00:30:48] The people. The sounds. And the activity. Begin to move farther. Into the background. You don't have to make them disappear. Let them become quieter. As you remain here. Feeling the simple movement. Of the breath.

[00:31:24] And to exhale. As your body is resting. The day is behind you. Stay with the breath. As it becomes quieter. Slower. And easier to follow. Nothing to follow now. Inhale.

[00:31:52] And the next exhale. Breathe in. With awareness. At your own time. For a few breaths.

[00:33:11] Keep following the breath. Just as it is. Feel the inhale come in. Feel the exhale. You may notice that the breath has become very... There's less movement in the body.

[00:33:43] And less effort needed to breathe. Let it continue at its own pace. You don't need to make the breath any slower. You only need to stay with it. Now. Now. Begin counting the breaths.

[00:34:13] At 11. Counting all the way down. To 1. Allow each number to come gently with the breath. There's no rush. Just let each inhale. Give the number.

[00:34:43] 11. Inhale. Continue just like this.

[00:35:13] Allow plenty of time between each breath. There's no need to hurry. Nothing to force. Just the natural rhythm continuing on its own.

[00:36:14] The day is beginning to fade. Counting the breaths. All the way down.

[00:36:57] The body knows how to breathe on its own. While you sleep. Feel the inhale arrive naturally. And the exhale leave naturally. Each breath carries you a little farther from the day. And a little closer.

[00:37:29] If a thought appears. You don't need to hold on. If an image passes through the mind. Allow it to drift away as soon as it arises. Like watercolors on a canvas.

[00:37:57] Gently return to the soft rise. And fall of the breath. For a few moments.