Drift Off to Dreamland with a Soothing Body Scan Pause

Welcome to Sleep Soundly. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, December can be a tricky month for sleep. The holidays are ramping up, your calendar's probably packed, and there's this underlying hum of anticipation mixed with pressure that keeps your nervous system just a little too alert at night. Sound familiar? Today, we're going to work with something I call the body scan pause, and it's going to help you literally download all that daytime tension before your head hits the pillow.

Let's settle in together. Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down, whatever feels most natural to you right now. No need to be perfect about this. As you get comfortable, just notice what your body needs in this moment. Maybe you need to shift your shoulders down a few inches. Maybe your legs want to stretch out. Honor those small adjustments.

Now, let's start with your breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, then exhale through your mouth for a count of six. That longer exhale is the secret sauce here. It actually signals your nervous system that you're safe, that the day is done. Let's do that together a few times. In for four, out for six. Again. In for four, out for six. Beautiful.

Now we're going to do a gentle body scan, but I want you to think of it differently than you might have before. Instead of checking your body like you're running through a to-do list, imagine you're a gentle light, warm and curious, slowly traveling through your body like honey moving through warm tea. Start at the crown of your head. Notice any sensations without judgment. Is there tightness? Ease? Just observe. Now let that warmth drift down across your forehead, your temples, your jaw. So many of us hold stress in our jaw. You might notice yourself clenching. If you do, that's perfect information. Just let it soften.

Bring that warm attention down your neck and shoulders. This is where so much weight lands. As your attention moves here, imagine you're gently setting that weight down on the earth. It doesn't belong to you anymore. Continue down through your chest, your heart space, your belly. These are the sensitive centers. Honor them with gentleness. Let your attention flow down your spine, your arms, your hands, your legs, all the way to your feet. You're not trying to fix anything. You're just meeting yourself with compassion.

Take one more deep breath in for four, and out for six.

Here's what I want you to remember as you move through your evening: this feeling, this warm, gentle attention you just practiced, that's available to you anytime. When you're lying in bed tonight and your mind starts spinning, come back to the honey light. Feel it moving through your body with no agenda.

Thank you so much for joining me on Sleep Soundly: Daily Mindfulness Exercises for Better Rest. If this resonated with you today, please subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's practice. You deserve rest. I'll see you then.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI