Reducing Anxiety about Getting to Sleep
Does your busy mind keep you awake? Get to sleep with this insomnia relief relaxation exercise. Overcome anxious thoughts that make it hard to fall asleep, and then enjoy a slow-paced visualization to help you drift off to sleep.
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Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and can also refer to poor quality sleep that is not restful. This relaxation exercise focuses on overcoming anxious thoughts that make it hard to fall asleep, and then includes a slow-paced visualization to help you drift off to sleep. Practice relaxation regularly to create habits that help you fall asleep quickly every night.
Before you begin…
Before you begin this relaxation exercise, take a moment to address any important things that are worrying you. If there are any large tasks that you want to get done, but it is bedtime and you need to sleep, write the tasks down on a to-do list for tomorrow. Set a timer for 5 minutes and do any tasks that you can finish in that time. For anything that would take more than 5 minutes, write it down on your to-do list. If you do not have any tasks that need to be done, continue listening, and if you do, set that timer now, and come back when the time is up.
Insomnia Relief Relaxation Script
Now, get comfortable so you can prepare for sleep. The ideal sleep space is quiet, cool, and dark. You can choose whatever position you would like for sleeping, or just lie on your back with your legs straight, uncrossed, and arms at your sides. Close your eyes, and settle in. All you need to do right now is focus on this relaxation exercise. There is nothing else you need to be doing right now. There is no right or wrong way to relax; just the freedom of being here in this moment.
Consider the thoughts that keep your mind active and prevent you from going to sleep. Maybe you tend to think about things that need to be done. Perhaps you mentally review the day and think about things you did or people you interacted with. Or you might think about the past…or the future. What sort of thoughts are most common for you?
(Pause)
Now consider the thoughts that have come up for you over the last few minutes. Are these the kind of thoughts you have most of the time when trying to go to sleep? Think about how your thoughts over the past few minutes are similar to and different from thoughts that usually arise when you try to sleep.
(Script continues in the video below)
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