Meditation for sleep: 7-minute body scan session, during the evening wind-down

About this practice

7 minutes to meet sleep with less of a fight. A body scan practice, during the evening wind-down. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: sleep

Sleep arrives on a downslope, not on command. Arousal has to fall for some minutes before the switch flips, and trying harder keeps it up.

It tends to show up as:

• Getting a second wind at bedtime
• Mind starting up as soon as the light goes off
• Sleep arriving much later than you intended

The practice is to stop steering. Following a slow voice occupies the part of the mind that would otherwise be trying.

Doing this in the evening

• Dim the lights first — bright light works against the point
• Put the phone in another room
• Keep it slow rather than interesting

Something too engaging will wake you up rather than wind you down.

How body scan works

A body scan moves attention systematically through the body, region by region. It does not try to change what it finds — it builds a map of what is actually there, which is often different from what you assumed.

• Move slowly, head to feet or feet to head, and do not skip the uncomfortable areas
• Meet each region with plain curiosity rather than a verdict
• Numbness and absence of sensation are findings too

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Sit however you were already sitting. You don't have to straighten up first.
2. 0:13We will travel down through the body, one region at a time, and leave each one softer than we found it.
3. 0:30Now let your attention move from the room into your body, slowly, the way you'd move through a doorway you know well.
4. 0:48You can think about other things. When you notice, come back. That's the whole practice.
5. 1:02Let the exhale empty you a little more than usual, but not to the point of strain.
6. 1:17Breathe in for four, out for six, if you'd like something to count.
7. 1:30Feel your knees. They're just hinges, but they've worked hard.
8. 1:42Notice your ribs on both sides. Wide, not squeezed.
9. 1:53Feel your upper arms hanging. They're heavier than you remember.
10. 2:05Give the day folding itself up a shape, a colour, a temperature. Turning it into something specific makes it easier to hold.
11. 2:23This is not the last time the quiet your mind keeps postponing will visit. That is not bad news. It means you will get more practice.
12. 2:42Feel the soles of your feet. All the weight of you goes through them.
13. 2:56Stay a moment longer than is comfortable.
14. 3:06Notice the small gap after each exhale. Rest there for half a second.
15. 3:19I'll stop for a moment. Take the pause at your own speed.
16. 3:32Move at the speed of your attention, not the speed of a checklist. There is no schedule to keep.
17. 3:48If a worry shows up, name it quietly and let it sit beside you.
18. 4:02Feel the air as it passes the back of your throat. It's cooler going in.
19. 4:16Quiet now. The next part will wait for you.
20. 4:27When the heaviness your body already knows presses in, put a hand on your chest or your belly. Warmth and pressure are anchors your body already trusts.
21. 4:47If the day folding itself up has been with you all day, it is probably tired too. Let it rest alongside you.
22. 5:05If you're holding your breath at the top, stop. There's no need to hold anything.
23. 5:19If your mind has wandered, that's not a mistake. Noticing is the practice.
24. 5:32If you're counting the minutes, that's fine. Count them and come back.
25. 5:45Let me stop talking. Follow the breath instead.
26. 5:56Visit each area with plain curiosity, not with a verdict. Sensation is information, not a problem.
27. 6:11Start to notice the edges of your body again, and the surface you're on.
28. 6:25When you're ready, look around properly.
29. 6:35No need to open your eyes yet.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.