Better Mindfulness Meditation - Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditation: Guided Meditations for Deep Relaxation, Healing Sleep, and Quieting the Mind

Title: Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditation

Subtitle: Guided Meditations for Deep Relaxation, Healing Sleep, and Quieting the Mind

Author: Mindfulness Habits Team

Introduction:

The three meditations included in this Yoga Nidra series were specifically designed to help you experience the state of consciousness in between waking consciousness and deep sleep using the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation and Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra practices have been scientifically proven to increase dopamine levels and heart rate variability (HRV) - both of which are associated with better sleep, lower stress, and a higher overall sense of well-being.

The first meditation is a body scan practice. Moving awareness to different sensations in the body systematically is a beautiful way to enter into the in between state of Yoga Nidra.

The second meditation is a heart opening meditation meant to deepen your connection with your heart and allow you to drift to sleep peacefully if you choose.

The third and final meditation is a breath movement and visualization practice that will use the breath and guided sensing to bring you to a state of absolute bliss.

These meditations are meant to be listened to in any order you please and as many times as you like. They could be used to wind down after work or to help you fall asleep at night.

For each meditation, you will have your choice of three different soothing background audio tracks so you can customize your experience.

With these three Yoga Nidra practices, you can begin your journey to a more peaceful, calm, and confident life.

We hope you enjoy!

Meditation 1: Body Scan

Begin by finding a comfortable position lying down on your back. If it feels nice, you might wear an eyemask or a blanket. You also have the option to use a pillow to support your head. Whatever position feels most comfortable to you - just find it now.

And as youre ready, gently close your eyes and take a few long, extended breaths. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth audibly.

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Take your time to settle into this position of rest and release. Be soft and easy and feel free to shift positions or move at any time if it would help you feel more comfortable.

Just letting go of your body into the earth beneath you now.

Noticing your weight and all the places where your body come into contact with the surface beneath you.

For this Yoga Nidra meditation, you will be guided to scan your body and simply notice any sensations that arise.

For so much of our day, we get lost in mental movies, thoughts, and tasks. We are now going to take time to check in with our bodies.

Now, bring your awareness to the breath.

Noticing if it has a sound or quality right now. Is it long and deep or shallow and fast?

Now I invite you to gently bring your attention to your head and face.

Noticing any sensations you may have there.

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Simply observing without judgement any tiny sensations you might feel in your head and face.

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Smoothing out of the forehead and brows with the next few exhales.

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Moving down to your eyes... mouth teeth lips and tongue.

Any tension in these areas just melting away.

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Now, bringing awareness to the neck and throat.

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Noticing the volume of the throat and sensing the space in between the front of the throat and the back of the throat.

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Is there any tightness or tension in your shoulder? Relax and allow the shoulders to fall away from your ears on this exhale.

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And now directing your attention to your arms, your elbows... down your forearms and wrists... into your hands... and into your fingers...

Notice the volume and length of your arms. Perhaps noticing the exact places where your arms end and the air or blanket begins.

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Taking a few more moments here to soften your arms and hands and see if that allows you to detect any more sensations.

Gently shifting your awareness to the area around your heart...

Noticing your heartbeat.

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Feeling the stomach and lower back as they receive each breath.

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Allow yourself to be an observer. Not changing anything, just letting go.

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Notice your legs... your knees... calves... shins ankles... feet... and toes

Again softening the feet to see if that allows more sensations to be detected. You might notice a slight tingling, pulsing, or buzzing sensation in the feet as you observe them.

And now bringing the attention back to your breath.

With each exhale, tuning into the sensations of release. Might it be possible to let go just ten percent more on these next few exhales?

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There is nothing to do now but let go.

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Allowing yourself drift off into a deep state of relaxation now.

Meditation 2: Heart Meditation

Find a comfortable position lying down on your back. If it feels nice, you can wear an eyemask or a blanket. You also have the option to use a pillow to support your head. Whatever position feels most comfortable to you - just find it now.

And as youre ready, gently close your eyes and take a few long, extended breaths. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth audibly.

And now allowing your breath to return to normal, begin to notice all the places where your body makes contact with the surface beneath you.

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Over and over, yuning into the breath again. Perhaps noticing the length and quality of your breath.

Just observing the breath wherever its easiest for you to notice.

Allowing any thoughts to come and go. When you have a thought, you can even gently say think, then return focus to your breathing.

This meditation is focused around the heart as you deepen your connection with the heart to drift into a deep sleep.

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You are welcome to follow along with my voice - or simply let my voice become a background noise. This is your meditation and there is no right or wrong way.

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Continuing to breathe, I invite you to bring your attention to the area around the heart.

Sensing and feeling the chest and upper back expanding to make room for the heart with each breath.

What would it be like to just listen and pay attention to the heart for the next few moments.

If youd like, you can place a hand or two on top of your heart, feeling the rhythm of the beating.

Noticing the rising and falling of your hand or hands with each breath.

Covering your heart with warmth.

Breathing into the heart on these next few breaths. Receiving the breath in the heart and letting go more and more with each exhale.

Without judgement, noticing if there are any sensations in the heart. Heat or cool, lightness or heaviness, tightness or looseness, pressure or space. Just paying attention to whatever is there for you in this moment.

Continuing to breathe into the heart - imagining receiving the air into the heart, and releasing it from the heart with each breath.

If at any point you find yourself lost in thought, just gently returning attention to the heart - breathing in and out of effortlessly.

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And now letting go of all focus on the heart and breathing. Just sending your entire body as one living, breathing field of sensation.

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Observe as sounds, thoughts, and sensations enter in and out of your awareness as you sit - heavy in stillness.

Letting go, letting go letting go.

Meditation 3: Breath Movement + Visualization

Again finding a comfortable position lying down on your back. If it feels nice, you can use a pillow to support your head or a long pillow under your knees. Whatever position feels most comfortable to you - just find it now.

And as youre ready, gently closing your eyes to take a few long breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth.