Guided Meditation for Insomnia ✨ Fall Asleep Fast Tonight

[00:00:00] Hey sleep wavers, it's me Karissa. Ready to get sleepy? Tonight we're talking about a common ailment, insomnia. If you've ever suffered from insomnia, and if you're here you probably have, welcome, then you know it can be debilitating and deeply affect your quality of life. The answer? Sleep meditation.

[00:00:30] That's why we're here. And that's why you should hit follow. Haha. Seriously though, please do hit follow whenever you listen. It would really help me and help you keep your insomnia at bay every night. Thank you.

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[00:01:05] You can cancel anytime. But now, a quick word from our sponsors who make this free content possible. Now, you know how people often identify as either morning people or night owls? I would probably fall much closer to a morning person on that spectrum, but I've always considered

[00:01:29] myself somewhere in the middle. I am always the first to leave a party to go to sleep, and I also couldn't love sleeping in more. But when insomnia strikes, and certainly if it becomes a recurring problem, sleep becomes just another thing to be stressed about.

[00:01:46] Insomnia is a complicated issue that may require more complex solutions, but there are things you can do to give yourself relief now. I've had a lot going on in my life this year, and I noticed my sleep was more affected than I'd like.

[00:02:01] I also just noticed I'd been feeling off, not like myself, both because of the trouble sleeping and all the things going on in my life that have my mind busy before bed. So I started doing something that may sound counterintuitive.

[00:02:14] Lately, I've been waking up at 5.45am every day, even weekends, by choice. There is research that suggests seeing the sun first thing helps to reset your circadian rhythms. I also realized this year that I am happier if I get an hour a day outside, walking.

[00:02:34] But I live in Texas, where the summer heat forbids being outside once the sun has risen too high in the sky. By 9am, you want to be inside with the AC blasting.

[00:02:46] For a couple weeks now, I've been waking up by rolling out of bed, lacing up my sneakers, and walking out of my house and into the fresh morning air. It has a few benefits.

[00:02:55] I get lovely time out in nature, I get to start my day in a really intentional and quiet way, and notably, I am sleeping more deeply and usually all night long. The other thing that is great about it is that I use the time as a moving meditation.

[00:03:15] Meditation is amazing any time of day, but if you can possibly squeeze it in first thing in the morning and last thing at night, it sets you up for a good day and a great night's sleep.

[00:03:26] So tonight, Billy has created a really lovely meditation for us to help soothe any stress about the night ahead. When sleep seems elusive, when the mind is too busy or the body is restless, a normal reaction would be one of anxiety, irritability, or frustration.

[00:03:56] These emotions lead to further restlessness and the cycle of insomnia goes around and around. Insomnia isn't a monolithic phenomenon, it's a complex experience with various forms, causes and characteristics. Insomnia can manifest differently in different individuals and can be influenced by a variety of factors.

[00:04:19] Wherever you may or may not fall on the spectrum of insomnia, tonight's meditation will offer some techniques to provide some relief. Whether they allow you to fall asleep or not, these meditation practices will help

[00:04:34] you change your brain state, soothing anxiety and calming any frustration to help you regulate your system, relax your breath, and quiet your mind. Come to a relatively still position in your bed. Allow plenty of time for adjustments to your physical posture and your bedding.

[00:05:02] There's no need to rush into relaxation. When it's difficult to get comfortable, we tend to toss and turn in bed. This increases arousal and can keep sleep at bay. Still, the reason most people toss and turn is that they don't feel settled.

[00:05:24] Perhaps there is even an underlying physical condition that makes stillness difficult. These techniques may not be a cure for those issues, but they are an effective means to manage the symptoms. The first step, once you have committed to a relatively stable and comfortable position,

[00:05:46] is the focus on your breathing. In the beginning, this can be a formal practice, which will yield to a more spontaneous and natural style of breathing. Allow yourself to become calm and steady. Take a comfortably deep inhale through both nostrils, and exhale through your mouth.

[00:06:22] Try to follow the exhale a bit further, giving way to relaxation a bit more with each exhale. Again, allow the inhale to flood in through the nostrils. Sip a little more breath in through the nose. Smile if you can, just softly.

[00:06:47] Open your mouth and exhale, letting go of any unnecessary tension you may be holding onto from the activity of the day. Once more, concentrate on the sensations that accompany the breath. Inhale through your nose, a soft Mona Lisa smile on your face.

[00:07:12] Notice the pause at the top of the inhale. On the exhale, with a whoosh, release any lingering anxiety as you open the mouth to expel the air. Now, if possible, breathe smoothly through the nose on both the inhale and the exhale. Say to yourself, silently in your mind,

[00:07:42] I will now practice this sleep meditation. For the duration of this meditation, I will remain very still. Of course, if you have to move at any time, feel free to do so. Just make sure that you are conscious of any movement. No unconscious movements.

[00:08:12] We will now begin a progressive form of relaxation that is designed to help reduce the physical tension that may be causing you to toss and turn. Bring your awareness to your feet and toes. Your feet and toes. Imagine them becoming warm and heavy.

[00:08:44] Visualize any tension melting away, leaving your feet completely relaxed. Move your focus to your calves. Picture the muscles in your calves softening and releasing any tension. Feel them becoming heavy and relaxed. Shift your attention to your thighs.

[00:09:34] Imagine a wave of relaxation spreading through your thighs, allowing all the muscles to let go and relax deeply. Focus on your hips. Visualize the muscles here loosening and releasing any tightness. Feel a deep sense of relaxation in this area. Bring your awareness to your belly.

[00:10:29] As you breathe in, imagine filling your belly with a warm, soothing light. As you exhale, feel your abdomen becoming soft and relaxed. Move your focus to your chest. Visualize the muscles in your chest relaxing with each breath. Feel a sense of calm and peace spreading through your chest.

[00:11:25] Focus on your back. Imagine a gentle warmth spreading from your lower back to your shoulders, releasing any tension and allowing your back to fully relax. Shift your attention to your hands. Picture the muscles in your hands and fingers loosening and relaxing. Feel them becoming heavy and calm.

[00:12:26] Move your focus to your arms. Visualize your arms becoming warm and relaxed from your shoulders to your fingertips. Let go of any remaining tension. Focus on your shoulders. Imagine them dropping and releasing any tightness. Feel a wave of relaxation spreading through your shoulders.

[00:13:31] Bring your awareness to your neck. Picture your neck muscles loosening and lengthening. Allow any tension to melt away, leaving your neck fully relaxed. Shift your attention to your face. Visualize your forehead, eyes, cheeks, and jaw softening and relaxing.

[00:14:26] Let go of any tightness or stress in your facial muscles. Take a moment to scan your entire body from head to body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body.

[00:18:46] Imagine a warm, soothing light spreading through every part of your body. Releasing any remaining tension and leaving you completely relaxed. Continue to breathe deeply and slowly, allowing your body to sink deeper into relaxation. With each exhale, perhaps you are drifting off to sleep now.

[00:21:27] Even if you have yet to fall asleep, the calm awareness of observing your physical body with a sense of pure observation puts you in a different state of mind that, in itself, has a restorative effect on your body. Let the present moment be as it is.

[00:22:05] There's no need to push or pull on what is. Give space to what's arising here and now as a practice of mindfulness, and see how embracing the now allows you to release resistance, which helps to ease insomnia. As you breathe, notice the belly rising and falling.

[00:22:48] Begin to count the breaths at the level of the navel to lay. Say to yourself, silently in the mind, Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling. Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling. Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling. Continue at your own pace for some time.

[00:25:41] Watch the belly rise and fall. Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling. Inhale, navel rising. Exhale, navel falling. Begin to count the breaths at the navel, beginning at 27 and counting all the way down. 27, navel rising. 27, navel falling. 26, navel rising. 26, navel falling. 25, navel rising. 25, navel falling.

[00:26:55] And so on, all the way down to one. Make no mistakes. If you lose count, start over at 27. Go on counting the breaths at the level of the navel. Go on counting all the way down to one. If you lose count, start over at 27.

[00:28:35] Now leave counting at the navel and allow your chest to slowly rise and fall. In a similar way, begin counting at 11 and continue all the way down to one. Mentally count 27, chest rising. 27, chest falling. 26, chest rising. 26, chest falling. 25, chest rising. 25, chest falling. And so on, no mistakes.

[00:29:35] If you lose count, start over at 27. Counting the breath at the level of the chest from 27 down to one. Now leave counting at the chest and feel the breath at the level of the throat.

[00:32:48] In a similar way, begin counting at 27 and continue all the way down to one. Mentally count 27, inhaling at the throat. 27, exhaling at the throat. 26, inhaling at the throat. 26, exhaling at the throat. 25, inhaling at the throat. 25, exhaling at the throat. And so on, no mistakes.

[00:33:44] If you lose count, start over at 27.

[00:34:27] Go on counting the breath at the level of the throat from 27 down to one. Now leave counting at the throat and feel the breath at the level of the nostrils. In a similar way, begin counting at 27 and continue all the way down to one.

[00:36:12] Mentally count 27, inhaling at the nostrils. 27, exhaling at the nostrils. 26, inhaling at the nostrils. 26, exhaling at the nostrils. 25, inhaling at the nostrils. 25, exhaling at the nostrils. and so on. No mistakes. If you lose count, start over at 27. Go on

[00:37:38] counting the breath at the level of the nostrils from 27 down to 1. Consider yourself sitting on a cozy, covered porch. The air around you is cool and fresh, filled with the clean, earthy scent of rain. You are wrapped in a warm, soft blanket that

[00:39:25] makes you feel safe and comfortable. As you sit there, you can hear the gentle patter of raindrops falling around you. The sound is soothing and rhythmic. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:41:07] The rain is falling softly, creating a calming melody as it hits the leaves of the trees and the ground. You can see the raindrops glistening in the soft light, forming ripples in the puddles that have collected on the ground. Each drop creates a tiny wave that

[00:41:33] spreads out and merges with others. It's a gentle, continuous dance on the surface of the water. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. As you breathe in, imagine you are inhaling the fresh, crisp air of the rain. Feel it

[00:43:16] fill your lungs and refresh your entire body. As you exhale, release any remaining tension, letting it dissolve into the air around you. With each breath, you become more and more relaxed, more at peace. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:45:10] The world around you is quiet and peaceful. The gentle sound of the rain puts you at ease, wrapped in your warm blanket, safe and dry. The rain is your soothing symphony for your journey into sleep. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:45:52] Breathe in, breathe out. Sleep, sleep, sleep.