Powerful Pause Meditation: Deep Relaxation for Sleep

This meditation is designed to help you to unwind and let go of the day, helping to aid a restful night’s sleep.

We use a progressive muscle relaxation technique to help release stress and tension out of the body so we recommend finding a cosy and comfortable place where you can lie down for this meditation. You may also like to have a blanket or a cover over you. 

This guided meditation was written for one of our Powerful Pause meditation sessions, where we come together to meditate every few weeks. If you're a Performer member you can take advantage of these free sessions (please ensure you're opted in to receive our emails for upcoming dates and booking information).

35-minute listen. We recommend listening to this meditation with headphones on.

Listen to other meditations in the Powerful Pause series.

Meditation Transcript: 

Bea Grist, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager:

Hello, my name is Bea and I’m the Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager at Spotlight. In this meditation we’ll be winding down and letting go of the day. It’s also a chance to release anything which you might feel ready to let go of - lingering thoughts, worries, concerns, or perhaps your to-do list.

Today we’ll be tapping into the quiet inner voice of calm that resides within us all.

So let’s drop right in.
Whatever you had going on before this moment, just allow that to dissolve. And we’re going to do our best to just be present.

Today’s practice is about coming into a space of deep rest and relaxation.
Try to stay lightly awake and aware but also relaxed.
And if you nod off that’s ok - you probably need it.

So let’s begin in a comfortable position
Try to find a place that feels relaxed and cosy
For this meditation we recommend lying down
You may like to have a blanket or cover over you
To help you feel warm and settled
Perhaps a pillow or cushion under your head
It can also be nice to have a small cushion or pillow under your knees
Which just take the pressure off your lower back a little bit.

Just find a space that feels good for you
I’ll give you a moment now to make any adjustments that are needed
So you can feel restful, relaxed and cosy.

And when you arrive
Take a nice… slow… deep breath in
Deeper than you’ve taken all day so far
And as you do
gently allow your eyes to close or your gaze to soften
And as you exhale
feel all of the air leave the body.

Starting to notice where the body is in contact
with the floor or bed or whatever you’re lying on
Feeling that sense of being supported and held
And with each exhale
Allow those points of contact to deepen
Gently surrendering the weight of the body.

Taking another deep breath
And at the top of the breath
See if you can notice the stillness that exists there
And exhaling it out
At the bottom of the breath
See if you can notice the stillness there as well.

Keep breathing this way
Just seeing if you can notice
The natural stillness that exists
at the top and the bottom of your breath
Allowing it to ground you into this moment
And using it to help you to slow down
Beginning to find stillness.

Giving yourself permission right now
To let go of anything that you’re ready to let go of.

There is nowhere else you need to be
There’s nothing you need to do
Give your mind permission to wind down and rest.

Continue to take slow deep breaths
And as you do see if you can notice your breath
In your whole body
From the top of your head

All the way down to the tips of your toes.

Softening the shoulders down
Relaxing the face
Unhinging the jaw
Just releasing any tension here
Allowing the tongue to rest heavy in the mouth

This is your time
This is your space
This is your meditation
So please always listen to what you need
And if at any point you want to move or make any adjustments
Then please just do so.
Know that you matter
And all of your feelings are valid and welcome here.

As you begin to tune in to yourself
Trust that you made the right choice
To be with us here today
And this is a gentle reminder to trust yourself too
I want you to imagine that a big comfortable mat has been rolled out just for you
See yourself lying down on this mat

And as you lie down
You have full permission to come as you are
However you’re feeling today
Because all of you is welcome here.

This is your safe space
Where you can create your own private bubble
to turn inwards
And have this time for yourself.

See if you can step into the quiet space
Behind your mind
Imagine opening a door to that place and stepping in
Leaving behind the busyness of your day or your morning. 

So let’s take a nice deep breath in here
And then releasing it slowly through the mouth
Let’s do that again
Breathing in deeply through the nose
And again just sighing it out through the mouth.

Notice how your lungs fill with refreshing clean air
And just becoming aware of that space that gets created
Just by breathing.

Feeling your body getting heavier and softer
Feeling that sense of letting go
Of surrendering to the present moment.
Know that right now
there is nothing you need to do

Nowhere you need to be
See if you can give yourself full permission
To be here
To be present
In loving awareness with yourself.

Notice that by just closing your eyes
And focusing on your breathing
you already feel a little bit more relaxed than before.
Continuing to breathe
Slowly and deeply.

Starting at the top of your head
Just begin to scan down through the body now
Noticing how the body feels today
Feeling into any areas that might be feeling tight or perhaps anywhere that might be gripping or holding on
See if you can breathe a little more softness into those areas
Giving them permission to let go

Breathing in gentle currents of relaxation
Feeling the body getting heavier as it surrenders to gravity.

With every breath you take
You’re releasing a little bit more tension from your body
And bringing some calming stillness to your mind.

And if at any time
your mind wants to think
That’s ok

That’s normal
Just notice it and then gently bring it back to the breath.
In this time that you’ve given to yourself
You are safe and supported.

As thoughts arise
You don’t need to try and block them out
or dismiss them
Just acknowledge the thought
And then watch it float away
Like a soft, harmless cloud.

Now turn your attention to the air flow
In and out of your body.

We’re not trying to change the breath
We’re just becoming aware of it
See if you can follow the breath as it flows all the way in
And all the way out.

Welcome each breath with openness and connection
Filling your lungs right up as you draw the air in
And then allow it to flow back out
Feeling a gentle sense of gratitude for the natural process of your breath.

We’re simply noticing and observing
what is arising in the moment.
That is what mindfulness is
It’s simply awareness of what is happening in the present moment.
Today you’re making the choice to be with your breath
What is the impact when you choose to be in loving awareness with your breath?

Keep breathing and simply noticing what comes up
You may feel resistance at times - that is ok too
Just acknowledge it and welcome it with open arms
All of your feelings are valid and welcome.

Using your inhale to feel expansion
And as you start to deepen the breath
Use the exhale to find a softness, a surrender
Giving any tension permission to melt away with each, long, slow breath.
Taking a deep breath in
And a slow long breath out.
Taking this time
In loving awareness and self-care

Knowing that by being here you are choosing to prioritise yourself.

Keep breathing slow deep breaths for a few moments more
Feeling the air flowing in through your nose
And out through your mouth.

We’re now going to work through a progressive muscle relaxation which is a deep relaxation technique which helps to release stress and tension out of the body.

Let’s begin by bringing your attention to your right hand
Clench it tightly into a fist
Inhaling and exhale
Let it go

Now your whole right arm
Clench it tightly
Inhaling
and exhale
Let it go

Now bringing your attention to your left hand
Clench it tightly into a fist
As tightly as you can
Inhaling
and exhale
Let it go

Now your whole left arm
Tensing it up as tightly as you can
Really tensing it up
Inhaling
and exhale
Letting it go

 Bring your attention to the back of your head
The sides of your head
And tighten it up
Really tightening it up
And inhaling
Exhale to release

Now the face
Scrunching it up
Scrunch it up as tight as you can
Really scrunching your face up
Inhaling
And exhaling softening, letting go

Opening up your mouth as wide as you can
Taking a big in breath
Exhale, letting it go

The front of the throat
And the back of the throat and the shoulders
Tightening it up as much as you can
Really tightening up your shoulders and your throat
Inhale
And exhale to release

Now the chest
The upper belly and the lower belly
Tightening it up, really tightening it up
Taking a big inhale 
And exhale
letting it go

The upper back
The middle back
The lower back
And the glutes
Tensing it up as much as you can
Really squeezing it
Taking a big inhale
And exhale to soften and let go

Now the whole torso together
The whole torso together
Tensing and tightening as much as you can
Taking a big breath in
and exhale

Softening and letting go
Now the right leg
Tightening it up
The whole of right leg
Taking a big Inhale and exhale, letting it go
The right ankle, foot and toes
Tightening them all up
Really tightening them up
Inhaling

And exhale
Releasing, letting it go
Now the left leg
Tightening it up
Really tightening it up
Inhaling
and exhale
Letting it go

The left ankle, foot and toes
scrunching it up
Inhaling
And exhale
Letting go

Now the whole right side of the body
Tensing it up
Really tensing it up
Big Inhale
And exhale to soften
The whole left side of the body
Tightening it up
Really tightening it up
Taking an inhale
And exhale release

The whole back side of the body
Tightening and clenching
Taking an inhale
And exhale to soften
The whole front side of the body
Tightening it up as much as you can
Really tightening it up
And exhale letting it go
Now the whole body together
Tightening it up as much as you can
Clenching your fists
Really tightening it all up
Taking a big inhale
And exhale to release
One more time 

The whole body together
Tightening it up as much as you can
Clenching your fists
Tighten up the arms
Scrunch up the face
Inhaling
And exhaling
letting it all go
The whole body completely relaxed.

As I name each body part just bring your attention to the body part and repeat the name of the body part to yourself silently:

The right thumb
Right index finger
Middle finger
Fourth finger
Little finger
Palm of the hand
Back of the hand
The whole right hand
Completely relaxed.

The right wrist
Right forehand
Elbow
The upper arm
Armpit
The shoulder
The whole right arm
And the whole right hand
Completely relaxed.

The left thumb
Left index finger
Middle finger
Fourth finger
Little finger

Palm of the hand
Back of the hand
The whole left hand
Softening.

The left wrist
Left forearm
Elbow
The upper arm
The armpit
The shoulder
The whole left arm
The whole left hand
Completely letting go.
 
The back of the head
The sides of the head
The ears
Top of the head
The face
The forehead
The eyelids
The eyes
Cheeks
Jaw
Nose
Lips
Tongue
Releasing back into the lower palette
Softening
The whole head
The whole face
Letting go.

Front of the throat
Back of the throat
The whole throat
The shoulders
The chest
Sides of the waist
The belly
The pelvic area
The whole front of the torso
Relaxing and softening

The upper back
The middle back
The lower back
The glutes
The whole back of the torso
The whole front of the torso
The whole back of torso
The whole torso together
Completely relaxing and letting go.

The right hip
Right thigh
Kneecap
Right shin
Top of the ankle
Back of the right thigh
Back of the knee
Right calf
Back of the ankle
The whole right leg
Top of the right foot
Sole of the right foot
Right big toe
Second toe
Third toe
Fourth toe
Little toe.
The whole right foot
And the whole right leg
Completely letting go.

 
The left hip
left thigh
Kneecap
Left shin
Top of the ankle
Back of the left thigh
Back of the knee
Left calf
Back of the ankle
The whole left leg
Top of the left foot
Sole of the left foot
left big toe
Second toe
Third toe
Fourth toe
Little toe.
The whole left foot
And the whole left leg

Completely letting go.
The whole right side of the body
And the whole left side of the body
The whole front side of the body
The whole back side of the body
The whole body together
Completely letting go
The whole body together
Relaxed. 

Bring your attention to the body and the breath now
Doing your best to stay awake
See if you can tune into the quiet voice of calm that resides within you
You may not always notice it
But it’s always there.

Keep breathing
Slowly and deeply
Notice how your breath is a doorway to that part of you
See how calmness and peace is within you
It’s often this quiet voice which has the greatest wisdom.

Breathing in
Welcoming peace and calmness
Breathing out
Anything that you want to release, or let go of.

Imagine a soft pink light emulating around your heart space
The light slowly starts to expand and fill the whole body
Filling you with a deep sense of calmness and peace
The whole body radiating with this beautiful calm and serene light.

Gently start to bring yourself back to the body
Noticing where the body is in contact with whatever you’re lying on
The sense of support from whatever is underneath you
just becoming aware of your body in the space
See yourself in the space
And very slowly begin to move your body
Maybe starting with your fingers and toes
And then letting this movement spread throughout your body
Maybe taking a few shoulder rolls
Perhaps a yawn and a wake-up stretch
And if you have been lying down, rolling on to your favourite side before sitting up
Just taking your time to come back to this moment
Being kind to yourself
When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes to return to this space.

Main photo by Lux Graves on Unsplash