Body scan meditation for sleep
As you move through a body scan for sleep, try to cultivate patience and curiosity, breath by breath we might just find that hours of slumber are sweeter, deeper and full of exploration.
👥 Serves: 1 person
🎚 Difficulty: Easy
⏳ Total time: 10 minutes
🥣 Ingredients: Bed
💪 Nutritional values: Calmness, Peacefulness, Relaxation, Sleep, Rest
Body scan meditation for sleep
📝 Description
A brief meditation to help you sleep.
The body scan meditation is a simple exercise to help you re-integrate your mind and body into a harmonious whole. The following recipe has adapted it for sleep: a body scan invites you to shift your awareness away from the thoughts flowing through you and towards the tangible experience of your physical body.
This recipe has been kindly donated by Griff, founder of MindEasy, adapted from this original article.
👣 Steps
Step 1 – Bed
Start your practice once you are in bed. Ensure that your alarm is set and there is nothing left for you to take care of for the day. This practice is best done on your back, but you can make adjustments as needed.
Step 2 – Eyes
Close your eyes and take a few cleansing breaths. Settle in, observe each breath as an anchor into the present moment. You might also invite a sense of release moving through you with each exhalation.
Step 3 – Head
Once you feel as grounded as possible, draw your attention to the crown of your head. Simply witnessing whatever sensations might be present there. Refrain from judging what you discover. Instead, send a loving breath into that part of your body.
Step 4 – Forehead
Spend one or two breaths with your crown before slowly descending into your forehead. Repeat the process of granting loving awareness to this part of your body.
Step 5 – Body
Continue working your way down the body at your own pace. Once you reach your shoulders, slowly move down the length of both arms. After witnessing what is present in your hands, shift your attention to your chest and then continue your descent. For a longer meditation, you can choose to explore each limb on its own (for example, all regions in the left arm before all regions in the right).
Step 6 – Repeat
Repeat the practice. Perhaps moving into the opposite direction this time. Alternatively, you can stay with the natural flow of your breath, using it as an anchor until your mind drifts into sleep.