A Nervous System - Friendly Bedtime Ritual: (5–10 minutes to help the body feel safe enough to sleep)

Sleep doesn’t begin when you close your eyes. It begins when the nervous system believes the day is over.

This ritual helps signal exactly that.

1️. Lower the Stimulation (1 minute)

Dim the lights if you can.Put your phone face down or out of reach.

Sit or lie comfortably and let your shoulders drop.

Nothing is required of me right now.

2️. Ground Into the Bed (1 minute)

Feel where your body meets the mattress or chair.

Notice:

• The weight of your legs

• The support under your back

• The surface holding you

Let gravity do the work.

3️. Hydrate Softly (30 seconds)

Take a few small sips of water.

Not to wake the body, but to signal care and completion.

4️. Release the Day (2–3 minutes)

Place one hand on your belly or chest.

Breathe:

• In through the nose for 4

• Out through the mouth for 6

With each exhale, imagine the day draining out of you, not analysed, not fixed, just released.

If thoughts arise, let them pass without engaging.

5️. Permission to Rest (30 seconds)

Silently or aloud, say:

Nothing more is expected of me tonight.I can rest now.

This matters more than you think.

6️. Final Safety Cue (30 seconds)

Try one of these:

• Gentle self-hug

• Light pressure on thighs or chest

• A hand over the heart

These cues tell the nervous system:

I am safe. I am contained.

🌙 If Sleep Doesn’t Come

Rest is still doing its job.

Even lying still and breathing gently supports healing and regulation.Sleep will follow when the body is ready.

✨ Why This Works

This ritual:

• Shifts the body out of fight-or-flight

• Reduces nighttime hypervigilance

• Helps with racing thoughts and emotional carryover

• Builds a sense of closure and safety

It’s not a sleep hack. It’s nervous system communication.

 Overactive or Busy Mind?

Then try my 5-10 minute one for busy minds. Click Here