Tonight you work with one simple thing, the long, slow exhale, the body's own signal to power down. You cannot force yourself to sleep, but you can slow the breath, and the body follows. Settle into where you are lying, let your eyes close, and let each out breath stretch a little longer than the last, until the breath is doing the resting for you and you are simply along for it.
Best for: anyone who lies awake at night with a racing mind, who struggles with insomnia or restless sleep, or who wants a gentle, effortless way to wind down and drift off at bedtime.
Use it when: you cannot switch your mind off at night, when you are wired and tired at 3am, when you need to release the tension of the day, or when you want to fall asleep without forcing or chasing it.
How it helps: through long, slowing exhales, your heart slows, your muscles loosen, and your whole system begins to power down. By the end the breath carries you the rest of the way on its own, heavy and warm and nearly there, with sleep arriving gently and without effort.
A roughly ten-minute guided breathing meditation in a calm voice over gentle ambient sound, from The Silent Ember Sleep collection.