Do you also wake in the middle of the night? THIS AUDIO GUIDANCE WORKS!!!! #bettersleep

Over the weekend I found myself to be awake at 2am. After an hour of tossing and turning, I walked to the kitchen and sat quietly with a cup of Sleep Tea. (Twinings - Camomile, Passionflower and Lavender.) I scrolled my phone for a recording that might help me get back to sleep.(Yes - I resisted Instagram!) 

I usually stay in bed and enjoy the Relaxation Apps but for some reason, this night, my mind was not accepting the familiar. I needed something more, to settle my busy mind and awake body. 

As I finished my tea in the deep silence of the kitchen, I decided to record my own audio guidance, including a combination of many tools that usually work for me. I included breath work, gratitude, self esteem affirmations, tools for reducing worry and visualisation to align with the senses such as recalling sounds in the landscape.  My idea was to give my mind so many wonderful things to focus on that my nervous system would be left with no choice but to settle. And it worked! When back in bed I listened to the audio recording and fell straight asleep. 

Now I am very interested in, if you also find it helpful. Will you please listen to the audio attached next time you wake in the middle of the night and let me know if it helps!! Note : My voice does record a little low at one stage. so keep the volume up a little higher than you might normally. Email me your feedback to narellehunteronline@gmail.com and please name the email SLEEP AUDIO FEEDBACK. We could be onto something here! 

LINK When you wake in the night - AUDIO GUIDANCE by Narelle Hunter

Transcription 

Night Thinking by Narelle Hunter

Let's begin with one pointed focus, beginning with the breath.

Remembering that, that slight sound on the exhalation, like a gentle humming, activates the vagal nerve as you exhale.

And then focus on the coolness of the inhalation, which the vagal nerve also responds to.

Once you have that focus and that steadiness, I invite you to touch each finger with your thumb.

And do 10 rounds of breath focus.

What a great job you're doing of One Pointed fFocus. And wherever you're up to now, let's move into gratitude.

And I want you to choose something very ordinary and everyday that you're grateful for and just visualise that for a moment.

Something that would be quite easy to ignore, but it's just so lovely to have it in your life.

And now I'd like you to choose something a little bit more essential and feel gratitude for that, whatever has come to mind.

And now consider your highest level of gratitude, what you most appreciate in your life. So now the next point of focus is recalling sounds.
Can you recall the sound of rain?
Can you recall the sound of birds?

Whatever bird song comes to mind is perfect.

Can you recall the sound of laughter?

Can you recall the sound of a waterfall?

Can you recall being in nature and it being so quiet and still that a sense of peace comes over you?

You've probably heard people say, "It's so peaceful here." So can you recall the whispered sounds in that landscape.

And now flowing on to the next wonderful tool you can be using in the night is a Statement of Encouragement.

Just releasing concerns in this moment, what encouragement can you give yourself?

Imagine those words coming into your attention, some acknowledgement of what effort you're making and where you are. Rising above your challenges and managing. Just take something that you can acknowledge and encourage yourself.

Just take a break from any criticism and what could you say to yourself right now?

Just a small "Well done." Look at what you're doing, look at that step, however small it might seem.

Look at the action that you have taken there. Well done, you.

And if concerns are coming into your mind, I want you just to take this practice as sacred and acknowledge that things are difficult at times. But for a moment, we're just going to make them actually visually appear smaller and in the distance.

Just for the time being, l et them rest on a hillside or just on the horizon, feeling smaller, so that you can be in your body resting and letting the body be at ease.

Because sleep is really important.

And there will be time and opportunity to focus where you need to, in a more alert state. B ut for now we need Radical Acceptance and to have the care to be able to make a choice right now.

Make a choice.
What are you going to think?

Where do you choose to focus? And what are you choosing to do? Just to be a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more relaxed.

And if it helps, even visualize the body as sacred.
And this moment and just the space surrounding you as part of a deep and restful ritual.
What do I want to think in this moment? Where do I place my focus?
Circling back now to the humming breath.
Can you hear the beautiful whisper of the exhalation?
I feel a cleansing and clearing effect as you inhale the cool air entering your brain and your body. Feel reassured by the comfort of this beautiful practice, this Night Thinking.
As frustration is released. H anding it over, handing it over to the night.
That's lovely.

And as the recording comes to an end, I'll just remind you of the different tools we used this evening. One-pointed Thinking - U sing the hands to count or t o be in the body by opening and closing the palms.

The levels of Gratitude that you have.
Taking your attention to sounds you can recall or even hear in this moment. Statements of Encouragement.
Visualizing concerns being in the distance for now.
And visualizing your body and this moment as a sacred space.

And if that wording doesn't feel right for you this evening, think of nature and really honouring nature. And it— and that's what's surrounding you, that you are a part of nature and in harmony with the synchronicity and flow of the seasons.

The rhythm of the day, the cycles of nature, that you are able to tap into that rhythm and flow. You can feel that in your own heartbeat, in your breath.

There's a pace a nd just tapping into that pace of life. Sometimes you feel out of step and out of rhythm, but through the night, it's such a wonderful opportunity to feel the grace and quiet of the night.

And use this as an opportunity to recalibrate and return to the steadiness that you're capable of. So the recording will end now.
Enjoy this step towards being calmer and comfortable
with the peace surrounding you. 

Narelle Hunter

Email your feedback to narellehunteronline@gmail.com and name your email Sleep Audio Feedback.