Too Hot To Sleep

0:00[Music. Her voice begins at 0:04.]

0:04Welcome to this sleep session, which is here to help you cool down and drift comfortably and easily back to sleep. Because these moments when we wake in the night can be so frustrating. It can be unsettling enough just having your sleep disturbed.

0:26But when you're dealing with the overwhelm of hot flushes, or just feeling uncomfortable and sweaty, it can be even harder to get relaxed enough to drift back to sleep. And before you know it your mind is wandering, and you're thinking about all the things you have to do the next day,

0:47or running over old conversations or situations that may have been playing on your mind lately. We've all been there. And the most annoying part of it is, you know that if you don't get back to sleep soon, it will spoil the day ahead. So it's important to relax and let go,

1:10so that it's easy to drift back to sleep. But that's so often easier said than done. So as you listen to my words, and as you remember to forget how frustrating it can be to try too hard, just take this time to relax — and notice how listening to my words is so much easier than trying to fall asleep.

1:54And as you listen to my words, and as you begin to relax, you may start to drift and your mind may start to wander. And that's okay. There's nothing you need to be doing now. So you can let your mind wander and know that it's okay.

2:19Because it's surprising how, when you relax and let go, it can be so easy to access your imagination. And so, in this moment of quiet, I'd like you to imagine a light resting underneath the balls of your feet.

2:47This light is very special. It has the ability to cool and relax as it passes over and through your body. Maybe your light has a colour — blue, or white, or silver — or maybe it's just a feeling. Whatever feels right for you.

3:05Just notice as this cooling light starts to travel gently and slowly over your toes, cooling and relaxing your feet and ankles. It starts to travel slowly up your body, over your ankles and calves and up your legs, cooling and relaxing as it goes.

3:42And notice now how it glides so smoothly as it does. How effortlessly it relaxes the muscles in your legs as it works its way up. Cooling the backs of your legs as it travels slowly over your hips. Cooling and relaxing all at the same time.

4:20And you may become aware of how you were holding tension in your hips and your stomach. And then notice as the light cools and relaxes your stomach, allowing space for you to drop your breath down into your stomach, so that you can breathe deeply and easily now.

4:44So that as it passes through, your breaths become deeper and deeper as the light continues — travelling up your back, relaxing your spine, each vertebra of your spine cooled as it passes.

5:07And notice how it's also inching up your fingers, calming your palms, cooling your wrists as it travels the length of your arms. And as the light travels up your torso and connects at your shoulders,

5:24[Fade to music. Preview ends 5:27.]